Parole on Midgard
by Ghost Rider of the Aragon
Summary: Loki is sentenced to stay one year on Midgard, with limited powers, living in Stark Tower. He learns to adjust to mortal life. Part 3 of my 'Path to Redemption' series.
1. Parole

**My resident plot bunnies got restless, and decided to latch onto my ankle, and they refused to let go. I realized then that the only way to repel the critters was to write this. Expect some OOC-ness, as I've only seen the movie once. I don't know if it will get a plot any time soon, so until then, enjoy! Virtual shawarma and Dr. Pepper to all reviewers! I own nothing, except for the theory on white walls.**

He was alone. Alone and unable to speak, thanks to that damnable muzzle. The silver contraption made his chin itch, and every time he tried to lift it to scratch underneath, he received a powerful electric shock. If it was powerful enough to get his attention, he couldn't imagine what it would do to a mere mortal.

He did the only thing he could then, which was wait. Wait for the others to decide his fate, and then face that decision without showing them they were right. He hated himself, but at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to admit it. He stared at the white wall in front of him. Maybe the reason people went crazy in hospitals and such places was that the color white left too much to be imagined. Imagination was a dangerous thing, especially in a half-monster demigod. His theory on white walls was beginning to seem reasonable to him now. He was beginning to see imaginary swirls of color covering the blank space before him. That wasn't a good sign. He stalked over to the other side of the cell, leaned his head against the cool pane of glass and closed his eyes. After a moment, he slid down to his knees.

He didn't deserve this. He was a prince among gods, second only to Thor. A tear stung his eye remembering all they had done as children. He immediately buried the emotion. He would claim no kinship with Thor. He, Loki Laufeyson, was a monster, hated by Asgard, condemned by humankind. Some wounds are beyond mending, and this was one of them. He was startled out of his reverie when he heard someone typing in a pass code to the glass cage he was held in. He glanced over and saw Natasha coming towards him. His eyes narrowed. She was the last person he wanted to see.

"Hey. Fury wants to talk to you." _Make that second to last. I really don't want to talk to Mr. Fury right now, thank you very much._

"I know. I know. I wouldn't want to talk to him either. You really screwed up, you know that?" _What do you mean 'screwed up'? I don't understand this Midgardian slang. Speak properly, mortal!_

"At least we're not letting Banner interrogate you. Look on the bright side." Loki rolled his eyes. Natasha chuckled. _You have an interesting definition of 'bright side', Miss Romanov. _Natasha led him out of the cell, and down the hall. Two burly guards followed on either side, ready with stun guns if Loki tried anything. They were, however, unneeded. They made it to the interrogation room without incident. Director Fury sat at the table, ready to begin talking. Thor stood at the end of the room, watching and keeping record on behalf of Asgard. He was clearly nervous, judging by how his fist kneaded the leather-bound handle of Mjolnir. Loki was forced to sit across from Fury, and the guards fastened his wrists to the arms of the chair. They removed the silver muzzle. Loki took this opportunity to rub his chin against his lapel. Once the itch was properly taken care of, he sat up in his chair.

"Good afternoon, Director Fury." He said casually. Fury glared at him. Even with one eye, the man could make the strongest Marine tremble with fear. Loki, however, was unmoved.

"Loki. You know why you're here, don't you?" The corner of Loki's mouth twitched in a suppressed smile.

"Yes I do. I realize now that I was wrong." Fury sat forward. Clearly he had not been expecting this.

"About…?" he prodded. Loki glanced down at the tabletop for a moment.

"About everything really." Fury stared at Loki in amazement. He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I now regret killing Coulson. But my apology isn't why I'm here, is it?" Thor was nodding. Nick glanced over at the muscle-bound god of thunder.

"I think I'll let your brother explain." Loki shook his head.

"Adoptive brother, Director."

"Whatever. Just listen to what he has to say. Got it?" Loki nodded his assent. Thor set Mjolnir on the end of the table.

"Adopted or not, you will always be brother to me. Now listen to me. I have spoken to the All-father, and he wishes for you to stay on Midgard for a year to learn why the human race should be left to its own devices. Then you shall be welcomed back to the halls of Asgard, and given back your place." Loki's eyes lit up at the thought of home. But was it really home to him? "If you decide you like it better here, you will be allowed to come and go as you please between the realms of Asgard and Midgard. This is the command of Odin." Loki nodded, playing out all the scenarios in his head. Assuming the worst would never happen, it might not be a bad idea.

"It can't hurt, I suppose. No one will trust me, though." Fury spoke up again.

"Then you'll have to earn their trust, Loki. Consider StarkTower your new home from now on. Tony and Dr. Banner are working on finishing out a room for you as we speak. You'll be allowed to talk to the others on a regular basis. But the first signs of you dropping your end of this deal, we put you back in the cell you just came from." Thor cut in here.

"Odin has seen fit to strip you of most of your magic during your stay here on Midgard. Once you have been deemed worthy of it again, it will be given back." Loki watched his brother.

"I understand." He said quietly. The two guards unlocked the restraints on the chair. He held up his pale arm, studying it, and rubbing some circulation back into it. Thor helped him up, pulling him into an enormous bear hug.

"I love you, brother. I want to see you restored." Loki returned the embrace half-heartedly.

"Thank you. Brother."


	2. Home

**Hello! Here's Chapter 2. I don't think this one is very good, but any flames received will be used to heat my concrete bunker. Funny stuff next chapter. I do not own the Avengers. Or Loki. *sniff* Enjoy!**

Loki stood in the elevator, waiting to reach his room in StarkTower. Natasha was with him. She was silent, but he couldn't blame her. What does one talk about with a prince of Asgard? A ding announced their arrival, and the doors slid open. Loki's eyes widened when he recognized this as the room where the Hulk had beaten him into the floor. Undoubtedly, this was Stark's idea of a joke. It was that room; there was the bar, where Tony had offered him a drink. Of course, the floor was repaired now, and it looked as though nothing had happened. In fact, one might describe the place as posh, at least, according to mortal standards. Loki was impressed, though. He had basically a whole floor to himself, with a birds-eye view of New York City. He stood in the middle of the living room, taking it all in.

"You really trust me with all this?" he said, not believing at first. Natasha shrugged.

"With limited powers, this seems reasonable to me." The elevator dinged, announcing the arrival of several others. Tony and Bruce stepped through the sliding doors, followed by Pepper.

"So, whatcha think, Reindeer Games?" Tony called. Loki turned to see the trio coming towards him.

"Not quite what I expected, but I think I'll manage, Man of Iron." He replied. And in a way, it was true. He had expected another boring cell, not an apartment. Tony nodded.

"I'll take that as a compliment. If you need anything, just ask Jarvis. Keep the requests within reason though. I've got it all programmed as to what he can and can't bring to you."

"I see. So what will I be doing?"

"We haven't quite figured that one out yet, but for right now, let's get you settled in." Pepper said. Tony wrapped an arm around her waist.

"What she said. I'd love to stay and give you the grand tour, but I've got a meeting to get to. See you all later." With that, he and Pepper stepped into the elevator and were gone. Now all that was left were Natasha and Bruce.

Loki stepped away from them, checking out what appeared to be his bedroom. The floor was like a square bowl, with the bed in the bottom. Three steps went down on all three sides. He sat on the edge of the mattress, and bounced a couple times, testing it out. It was a little soft for his taste, but he could adjust. The coverlet was some silky green material, and the throw pillows were gold shantung. He stood up and investigated the next doorway. It was a rec room. There was a TV along one end that took up the entire wall. He tapped the center of it, and it turned on. A football game was on, and at the moment the image came up, one of the players had just made a running leap towards the camera to catch the ball. Loki jumped back in obvious surprise. Natasha hid her smile behind her hand. Bruce looked mildly worried. Loki glanced over at them, not sure what to make of them.

"What just happened?" Natasha cleared her throat.

"You turned on the television. It's supposed to do that."

"It tried to attack me!"

"No, actually, it didn't. They can't come through the screen. I know it looks like it, and I think that's what Tony was going for when he willingly voided the warranty."

"I see." He nervously tapped the screen again. It went blank. "Where to next?" he asked, obviously a little excited.

"There's not much else to explore, but I'll show you how to work the TV and the DVD player. Until we know what you'll be doing, you're going to be staying in this apartment for a while." Bruce explained.

"Alone?" Loki asked. Natasha caught a hint of sadness in his tone.

"No, not alone. There'll always be one of us here, to keep tabs on you. We're taking turns." Bruce said.

"Babysitting, you mean." Loki interjected. Natasha shot him a 'shut up, you' look.

"No, think of it as parole, and we're your ankle bracelet." She snapped. After a moment of consideration, she nodded. "Well, I guess that's one way of putting it. Glorified babysitting." She said. Loki smiled slightly; glad to have elicited some sort of response. He wasn't sure why, but it was just fun. And after all those days of solitary confinement, he wanted to get back in practice.


	3. Midgardian Devices, Part I

**This one was inspired by a picture I found on deviantart of Loki listening to an iPod. Whoever the artist is, I give him/her credit. **

**Q: How does one break the god of mischief?**

**A: Make him listen to Red. (Song: Lie to Me)**

It had been a week. Loki sat on the sofa, bored. Even though he was grateful not to be in the glass cell anymore, life in StarkTower was losing its charm. It was Natasha's day to keep an eye on him, but she wasn't much company. He heaved a sigh and stalked over to the window. The New York skyline, although lovely in its own way, was offering no inspiration at the moment.

"When there is nothing to be done, what do you mortals do for entertainment?" he asked. Natasha raised an eyebrow.

"You're the god of mischief, and you're admitting boredom?" she asked incredulously. Loki shook his head.

"If I do any mischief, it will come across as evil intent, and I will be put back into that glass cage." Natasha nodded.

"I suppose there is that. Can I trust you to behave yourself while I go grab something?"

"I swear I shall not move from this couch until you return." Natasha eyed him suspiciously.

"I guess that's the best I will get from you." Loki shrugged.

"Yes, I guess it is." Natasha stood up and went to the next room. Loki was obviously curious, but he sat like a statue. Natasha came back, holding a small rectangular device with a long wire coming from one end. About halfway down, the wire split and continued to two small knobs on the ends. She offered one of them to Loki, who stared at it for a moment. He took it, but had no idea what to think. Natasha didn't tell him what to do, but put hers in her ear. He noticed, and did the same. The spy turned the device on, and flicked her finger across the screen.

"Let's see, you strike me as a symphonic metal type. Ah, I think you'll like this." Loki watched in amazement as she selected one picture, and suddenly the thing in his ear began making noise. He yelped in surprise, but then, realized that there was order to what he was hearing. Once the surprise wore off, he began to get into it. He started bobbing his head to the beat.

"What is this wondrous device?" Natasha laughed.

"It's an MP3 player. This one happens to be an iPod Touch." Loki snatched it out of her hands and scrutinized it. He tried tapping the screen.

"How do you change the song?"

"What, you don't like this one?"

"No, no, I like it. I just want to hear some others."

"Okay, let me see it and I'll show you." She tapped the screen again, and the song changed. Loki's eyes lit up, and then unexpectedly, they welled up with tears. Natasha was speechless for a moment. Tears were the last thing she expected from the man who had just tried to take over the world. "Are you all right?" she asked. Loki nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Yes, I'm fine. This Midgardian music speaks to my heart. It's…it…" His shoulders started shaking as he broke down completely. Natasha stared at him for a few seconds. The music obviously had struck him on a deeply emotional level. He had his elbows on his knees, and his face buried in his hands.

"I shouldn't have let go…I'm sorry, brother…Forgive me." he muttered.

"Should I call Thor?" Loki wordlessly shook his head.

"No…no. I'll be fine." The elevator dinged, announcing that Natasha's shift as demigod-sitter was over. She glanced up to see Tony in the doorway. He stared at the spectacle before him with amusement and utter confusion. Natasha patted Loki's shoulder, and stood up. She brushed past Tony.

"Holy crap! What'd you do to him?" the billionaire asked, aghast. Natasha glanced over her shoulder.

"I swear I didn't touch him." Tony glanced back at the sobbing Loki, and back to the spy.

"I hardly believe that. You made him cry! Now what'd you do?"

"I didn't even touch him! He asked for it!"

"What. Did. You. Do?" Tony demanded. Natasha shrugged.

"I let him listen to my iPod."


	4. Brother?

**I realize now that in the last chapter, I could've had Loki end up doing something more constructive intellectually and/or physically (playing chess or going down to the gym), but that wasn't the point of that chapter. Nor is it the point of this chapter. Just fluff and brotherly love. As usual, I OWN NOTHING. **

Thor stepped out of the elevator, and glanced around the room. His brother was nowhere to be seen.

"Loki? Are you there?" He heard no response. He peered around the doorway to see his brother lying on the bed, apparently sleeping. He noticed that he held something in his hand. Thor recognized it as Natasha's iPod.

"Loki, what are you doing?" Loki sat up straight, the earbuds falling out. His eyes were wide.

"Demons above and below! You startled me. Not many people do." He said, chuckling.

"I'm sorry." Thor said, smiling. "How are you?" Loki swung his legs over the edge of the mattress and tossed the iPod onto the pillow.

"I'm better now. Have your friends decided what to do with me yet? I grow weary of this place." Thor watched his younger brother warily. He remembered well from his youth that when Loki was bored, mischief followed.

"I'm not sure, brother. I know that tomorrow they are holding a council to decide, and Lady Pepper will be your guard." Loki nodded.

"You are going to be there?" he asked.

"Of course. They're afraid to make any decision without my consent. They're answerable to me, and I answer to the All-father. I only care about your well-being, Loki."

"Do you, now?" Loki said as he walked up the steps, and into the main living area. Thor followed him.

"Brother, no matter what you've done, or will ever do, it will not change how I feel about you."

"I attempted to take the one thing you loved. I tried to overthrow the All-father, I killed my true father, and I killed one of SHIELD's best agents. It's highly unlikely that I will receive anyone's favor but yours."

"Isn't my opinion really the only one that matters?"

"In a sense, but I look for acceptance beyond that of my family. All my life I've grown up feeling that I don't belong."

"But you did belong! Don't you remember anything of our childhood?"

"Yes, but there's the shadow I told you about on the mountaintop. I've always been second best. I want to be my own person. I realize now that leading the Chitauri was only making myself subject to another. I wish I could've figured that out earlier." Loki sat down on the couch. "When I let go of your hand on the Bifrost, I don't know what I was thinking. Well, I do know. I wanted to make everyone suffer as much as I'd suffered. I see that now and I was wrong." Thor sat across from him, and stared at the fireplace.

"I've never seen Father so upset." He said, finally working past the lump in his throat. He remembered every single moment of Loki's absence, every moment of not knowing whether he lived or died.

"Even more so than the time I cut Sif's hair?" Loki asked, with a hint of a grin.

"It's not the same. That was rage. This was grief…It tore us all apart. Mother was inconsolable." Thor said. His voice was hoarse.

"I'm sorry. For everything." Loki whispered.

"I accept your apology. And I want you to know that I will always listen to you when you need to talk." Loki glanced out the window.

"Thank you." Thor reached over and ruffled his brother's hair as he used to. Loki didn't complain. It felt familiar, comforting, and it felt good. Thor glanced up.

"How about that drink?" he asked. Loki nodded.

"That sounds good." Thor walked over to the bar and pulled two bottles out of the mini-fridge. He deftly removed the caps, and handed one to his brother. They both sat down on the black leather barstools. A comfortable silence fell over the room, and they watched as the sun set over the city.

**A/N: Okay, that ending sounds kinda like a bad joke. "So, two Norse gods walk into a bar…" But my intent was good, so please, review! I may have come up with a plot, so we'll see if it comes to anything.**


	5. Of Coffee and Shields

**A/N: Now I've found my plot: How Loki could transition over to the Avengers' side. If you don't like it, oh well. It's stress relief for me. The Frisbee idea belongs to FrostedFangirl7413 (thank you!) I own nothing. 'Nuff said.**

Pepper stepped out of the elevator, and was surprised to see Loki and Thor both finishing up breakfast. Thor glanced over.

"Lady Pepper! Good morning to you!" he said, raising his coffee mug in salute to her.

"G'morning Thor." She said blearily. She wasn't feeling much like a morning person at the moment.

"What's the matter?" Loki asked. He recognized Pepper, and was used to seeing her when she was her perky self.

"I haven't had my coffee yet this morning." The redhead yawned. Loki nodded, and poured a new mug. He closed his eyes and muttered a short phrase under his breath. The mug shimmered, and disappeared, only to reappear in Pepper's hand. She gave a start.

"I thought you didn't have your powers anymore…" she said. Loki nodded.

"Most of them have been taken away. That was nothing. Sleight of hand really." Pepper took a sip, and smiled.

"How did you know that I liked just creamer in my coffee?" Loki shrugged.

"Lucky guess. So, is the meeting starting soon?" he asked. Pepper nodded.

"That's why I'm here. Thor, you'd better hurry up." Thor set his plate in the sink. He stepped over to Loki and gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder before bounding into the elevator. Loki almost fell off of his chair from the force of the blow. Pepper stifled her laugh by taking another sip of her coffee. By the time she swallowed, Loki had recovered his composure.

"So, what do we do?" he asked.

"Well, obviously, we wait. Have you got any ideas?"

"No, not really. That's why I was asking you." he said evenly. Pepper had an idea, but wasn't sure if Loki would want to join her.

"There's this game I could teach you…" she said. Loki leaned forward in anticipation.

"I'm listening."

* * *

A few floors away, the meeting was getting into full swing. Fury sat at the head of the table. Thor was speaking.

"When Loki claims to have been the rightful king of Asgard, he's partially telling the truth. I was banished for a youthful indiscretion, and the All-father fell into the Odinsleep. Loki was the only viable regent, since Frigga wouldn't leave father's bedside. He was king, for a little while. He's been deeply hurt by a truth that my father had kept from everyone since we were children. In retaliation, he led the Chitauri against this world. He was…" Clint cut him off

"He brainwashed me and two other men into helping him take over the world!" Clint objected. Thor shot him a look.

"He was under someone's control too, friend Clint. He had no choice." Thor said.

"There's always a choice." Clint argued back.

"Did you have a choice when he forced you to help use the Tesseract?"

"I suppose not." Clint said through gritted teeth. Natasha laid a hand on his shoulder, which caused him to relax somewhat. "Still, I don't trust him, Thor. He may be your brother, and he may well be a god. But what can he do to prove that he's not going to betray us?"

"Nothing, if you're not gonna give him a chance. Yeah, he used his scepter to mess with your head, but Natasha found a way to bring you back around. Let it go, man." Tony interjected. Clint sat back in awe.

"Oh, so you're on his side now?"

"No, I'm just trying to find a way to make this work. The way I figure it, idle hands are the devil's playthings. If Loki's stuck here doing nothing, we may as well set him free and let him do whatever the hell he wants. If we keep him busy, he'll at least be doing something useful. Am I right, Thor?"

"Thank you, friend Stark. When Loki is bored, he looks for something to liven things up." Tony glanced around.

"Speaking of that, I wonder how he and Pepper are getting along…" he trailed off.

* * *

"So, what is this Midgardian game?" Loki said, flinging the disc back to Pepper.

"Frisbee. And you're getting pretty good at it. I'm impressed." Pepper deftly caught it and tossed it back to the demigod.

"Well, it's fun, I'll give you that. Do you think Captain Rogers will be angry that we are using his shield?" Pepper caught the shield and stared at it for a couple seconds. She shrugged and threw it back.

"It's keeping you from causing trouble, which I think should convince them not to get mad." Loki caught it again, grinning.

"True."


	6. Outcast

**I'm back! The plot bunnies have grown, and I've got an idea for a sequel now. But first I must come up with a year's worth of stuff for Loki to learn about. **

**DISCLAIMER: I think by now it's obvious that I don't own these characters or Marvel. If I did, do you seriously think I'd be writing fan fiction? **

**Secondary Genre: I hesitate to call this angst, because I'm not sure. **

**I'm finding it hard to write evil Loki, because I want to see him redeemed.**

** So without further ado, I give you Chapter Six. Enjoy (or not) and review! **

Loki watched the elevator door slide open, and he stepped into his apartment. A week had elapsed since the meeting that decided his fate. He had begun training with the Avengers and was trying to repair his relationships with them. After brainwashing Clint, threatening Natasha, manipulating Bruce, throwing Stark out a window, and insulting Steve, Loki had his work cut out for him. It was not an easy task, and they weren't making any effort on their side of things. Thor had already forgiven him, so he had at least one sympathetic ear. He no longer had the daily guard, and was pretty much left to himself when he wasn't training.

He flopped down on the green coverlet, rubbing his sore neck. Natasha had been his sparring partner today. He had refused to fight back more than necessary, because he didn't want to maim her. Natasha had taken full advantage of that fact. If the aches were any indication, his back and ribs would be black and blue in the morning. Why could nobody see that he was trying to make things right? What was the use of trying when no one noticed? He slunk into the kitchen and put on a teakettle to boil. He stared out the window to the streets below. Would flinging himself off the balcony make them feel better? He thought about it for a second, then realized that it would tear Thor apart. Why couldn't Thor just hate him like everyone else did?

"Will this never end?" he asked himself. He wanted to be home. Back in Asgard. Then thinking about it farther, he realized he'd never fit in there either. Thor's friends merely tolerated him for Thor's sake. They never had trusted him. He was distracted when the teakettle started whistling. He poured the water over the infuser. When exactly had this rivalry begun? He couldn't even remember. But whatever the cause, he was ready to let go of his end of it.

He blew on his tea to cool it down before taking a sip. It burned all the way down. Everything seemed warmer to him, though, so it might have not even been that hot. The sun set over the city, and the skyline lit up before him. He finished his tea, and walked out on the balcony. A storm loomed on the not-so-distant horizon, lending an electrical foreboding to the atmosphere. Why shouldn't he do it? No one really wanted him here anyway. He placed his hands on the railing, and stared down at the sidewalk below. All the people rushing about, minding their own business and none of them were aware of the silent struggle going on 300 feet above them. How long he stood there, he wasn't sure. He didn't hear anyone come in, so when someone tapped on the glass door, he spun around startled. It was Tony. Loki backed away from the edge a little too quickly.

"What do you want?" he asked. The billionaire shrugged.

"Nothing. I just wanted to check on you. Thor was worried, and I kinda was too."

"Worried about me? Why?" It was beyond him why Tony would worry about him.

"Well, I threatened you; you pitched me out the window. I think we can call it even." Loki was unmoved. "You wanna come down and have dinner with the team? Might help you get to know them better."

"I'm always going to be an outsider. Stop pretending that sharing a meal with them will magically make everything better." Loki leaned his elbows on the railing and stared out at the clouds building on the horizon. The faintest rumbles of thunder reached his ears. Tony leaned next to him, trying to see what the mischief-maker was seeing.

"You're doing the best you can. I've seen what you've been trying to do." He finally said.

"It's wasted effort. That fall from the Bifrost should've killed me." Loki scoffed. Tony's eyes widened.

"Just now, when I came up here, you weren't about to…" he trailed off. Loki didn't look up. "Dude, it's not worth it."

"Says the man who's got everything. I've been around for at least 4,000 years, and no one's ever seen me as anything other than a pawn in their game. Living here has shown me that things will never change. I meant to…"

"What? Prove them right by dying? Jumping wouldn't have made anything better."

"Oh, like you would understand anything about it!" Loki snapped, his expression livid. Tony took a step back.

"No, really, I know." He said, holding his hands up defensively. "Not that long ago, I was dying. I got a second chance. Trust me, what I've gone through in the past couple years is way better than being six feet under." Loki leaned against the rail, staring into the apartment. "Think of what it would do to your brother. Don't do anything stupid, got it? Or I'll have you put under 24-hour supervision." Loki scowled.

"Stop treating me as though I were a child! I promise not jump."

"Good. Now come down to dinner. You know, it wasn't just Thor who sent me up here. Pepper wanted me to come get you." Loki considered it for a second.

"All right. I suppose I could come."

"Good." Tony grinned. Loki was surprised to see that it was a genuine smile. "Now, if you need to do some mischief to get out of this mood, have at it. Playing Frisbee with the Capsicle's shield was a good start, but you can do better. No blood, no bodies, and no Hulk-outs, if you know what I mean." Tony said. Loki smiled.

"I've got some ideas. But please don't tell anybody about what I was going to do. Not even Thor." Tony was silent a moment, then he held out his hand.

"Deal. But if you ever feel like that again, talk to me." Loki took his hand and shook it.

"I'll remember that."


	7. A Fresh Start

**A/N: Sorry. I just can't do it! I cannot, for the life of me, write evil Loki. So I'll stick with apologetic Loki. If you don't like it, don't read it. Again, I give dissatisfied readers my sincerest apologies. To the rest of you, enjoy! Reviews make my day…but I don't need to remind you of that, do I? ;) **

**Secondary Genre: Action/Friendship **

Natasha couldn't believe it. The man she'd hated was now the man who'd saved her. Loki didn't even look at her as he pulled her along after him. They shielded themselves behind one of the crates, and waited for the rest of the team to arrive. The gunshots and shouts reached them from the hallway. Natasha checked her guns, and reloaded them both. Loki held his spear at the ready. She glanced over at him, still trying to give herself a reality check. Loki had just taken a bullet for her, moments ago.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Loki glanced out the door, and turned back to her.

"A mere scratch. Nothing more." The shouts grew louder. "Here they come." Natasha cocked her guns, and got onto one knee.

"You ready?" she asked. Loki shrugged.

"Are you?"

"I think so." She pushed a button on her earpiece. "Stark, we got an ETA?"

"_About five minutes out. How are you and Loki holding up?_"

"We're fine, I think. Loki took a bullet, but I can't tell whether he's just telling me he's fine or not." Loki stared at the ceiling in frustration. "Never mind. He's rolling his eyes. I think he's telling the truth." There was a crash as the men broke down the door. Natasha gasped. There were even more of them now.

Loki used his spear to pole-vault over the crate as Solohob's underlings entered the room. He seized the first man's wrist, and twisted it until he collapsed. A blow from the dull end of the spear put an end to him. Loki whirled around, brandishing the spear. In one fluid motion, he struck one of them in the jaw. The man went sprawling. Loki turned just in time to see another coming up behind him. In the two months that he'd been staying at StarkTower, he'd never once tested the limits of his magic abilities. Now was as good a time as any. He held out his hand, and a blue blast of light filled the room. Their attackers fell back, dazed by the glare. Loki grinned. He was fairly powerful, even with the limitations. He was now unstoppable.

Natasha saw a grenade get tossed through the door.

"LOKI, GET DOWN!" she shouted as she started to run for cover. It exploded before she could get down. The blast threw them both across the room. Loki sat up, slightly befuddled from the impact. He glanced around, trying to figure out what had happened.

"Natasha! Where are you?" The room was strangely silent. The smoke cleared. He saw Natasha slumped against the wall. Three more of the arms dealers came in and made a beeline for her. Loki struggled to stand. He felt as though he'd been smashed by Hulk again.

A yellow glare filled the room as Tony and the others arrived. From the sound of it, there had been ten other guards in the hall. Loki dragged himself over to Natasha. She was unresponsive. He lifted her and carried her out to the others.

"Natasha! What happened?" Clint was visibly shaken by the sight of his girlfriend unconscious in Loki's arms. He took her from the demigod, and carried her off to the side. Loki felt his knees giving way. Thor caught him as he fell forward.

"What's wrong brother?" Loki shook his head. Thor eased him onto the floor. So that was the nature of the limits Odin had put on his magic. Every time he used a spell, it sapped his energy.

"I think I'll be fine. Thank you for catching me." Steve glanced around.

"Do you know who they were working for?" he asked. Loki looked up from the scrape on his arm.

"Natasha mentioned someone named Solohob. I don't know what that means to any of you, but apparently we got him." He said. Tony nodded, flipping up his mask.

"He's an illegal weapons trafficker. He was one of the suppliers to The Ten Rings. He gave a lot of my weapons to those terrorists. Don't have to worry about him anymore, I guess." He smiled. "Good work everybody. Now let's get outta here." He flipped his mask back down and took off. Clint had managed to bring Natasha back around, and they ran side by side with Steve. Loki used his magic to teleport, and he made it back before anyone else.

He went into his apartment, glad to be back. He took a quick shower. As he dried himself off, he noticed the bruise spreading across his collarbone and down to his right side. He was definitely going to feel that in the morning. He changed into a black t-shirt and grey sweatpants and sat in front of the fireplace to warm up. He heard the elevator door open and shut. He looked up and saw Natasha.

"What can I do for you, Miss Romanoff?" The spy shook her head.

"Nothing. I just wanted to say thanks for saving me today. And getting me out of there. If they had captured me, Solohob would have…"

"Don't mention it." Natasha's eyes widened. She stared down at her hands for a second.

"I also wanted to apologize for my treatment of you since you got here." She said softly. Loki's breath caught. He couldn't speak for a moment.

"After the way I spoke to you on the Helicarrier, I suppose I deserved it. But I accept your apology." Natasha smiled.

"Well, I'd better get back downstairs. Clint's probably wondering where I got to. Good night Loki." Loki nodded. Natasha stood up and walked towards the elevator.

"Miss Romanoff, I also apologize for what I did to Clint. If you could pass my regards on to him?" Natasha paused.

"All right. I will." Then she was gone. Loki turned back towards the fire. He smiled to himself.

"It's a start."


	8. Musical Differences

**A/N: Hello! I'm sorry for the depressing nature of Chapter 6. This one is much lighter than that, so enjoy. I'm sorry for projecting my own preferences of music in this chapter. I give my respect to all members of AC/DC, but I will forever be a Rush and Kansas fan. Check the band out, if you're interested (they're totally awesome.) Thanks to TFKpuppet and I Know Love Hurts 2010 for your reviews. They make my day… ^-^**

**Secondary Genre: Friendship**

"How do you listen to this trash?" A sharp English voice cut through the guitar riff from Back in Black. It was blaring, so Tony hadn't heard the doors open and close. He looked up from his helmet repairs. Loki had just walked into the workshop.

"You've gotta respect the classics, man." He said as he turned off the mini-torch. He turned the radio down anyway. Loki rubbed his ears in mock relief.

"You're a genius; shouldn't you be listening to Mozart or something?" Tony shook his head.

"Mozart is for babies or old people. Not forty-something, billionaire-playboy-philanthropists."

"Duly noted. Have you ever considered Beethoven, Chopin, or Schubert?"

"No, not really." Loki shook his head in dismay.

"Then, if you must listen to rock and roll, why can't you listen to something with some thought put into it, like Rush?"

"Nah, Geddy Lee's voice drives me crazy." Tony answered sarcastically. Loki gave him a pointed stare.

"You must be joking! At least Mr. Lee doesn't sound like an asthmatic crow." Tony laughed.

"I'm just kidding. I've listened to Rush and liked it, but it's not working music. It's thinking music.

"How about Kansas?"

"They're not bad, but still too thoughtful for me." Loki heaved an annoyed sigh.

"You're hopeless."

"What brings you up here?" Tony asked, suddenly remembering the night on the balcony. Loki paused mid-step, then stopped at the workbench.

"I need to ask you something." Tony took off the magnifying eyeglasses and set them on the table.

"Shoot." Loki nodded.

"Is it possible for me to get some better armor?" Tony's interest was piqued.

"What kind of armor are we talking here?" Loki glanced around the room.

"Nothing nearly as extreme as your suit, but enough to keep a bullet from impacting your ribcage." Loki stretched the collar of his t-shirt low enough to reveal the purplish-black bruise on his collarbone. Tony gave a low whistle.

"Impressive. How far down does it go?" Loki let the collar go back up.

"From there to just about here." He pointed to a spot about halfway down his ribcage. Tony nodded.

"So you're looking for something that looks like it came from Asgard, but made of better materials?"

"Yes. Everybody acts like things are so advanced on Asgard, but really, it's not. We just have magic. The technology on Midgard is truly fascinating." Tony stepped over to the 3-D holo-screen and started programming something in.

"That it is. Whatcha think of this?" Loki came over and stared at the image closely. It looked pretty much like his normal suit of armor, but the metals that Stark had listed sounded foreign to him. Titanium, Kevlar, and several others he didn't even want to think about pronouncing.

"It looks good to me." Tony nodded and hit a couple more buttons.

"All right, I need you to stand in that scanner over there." Loki eyed the device suspiciously.

"What for?" Tony laughed.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt you. It'll give the computer a model to work off of. It makes sure that the armor will fit properly when it's finished." Loki nodded and stepped into the scanner. Moments later a quiet beeping noise indicated that it was finished.

"Go ahead and step out of there." Tony said. Loki did as he was told.

"What do I owe you?" Tony shrugged.

"Don't worry about it. I'll think of something later. Jarvis, how long do you think it will take to whip this up?"

"Sir, it should take a little less than four hours to complete."

"Get a move on, then."

"Right away, sir." Tony turned to Loki again.

"Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No, not really. Thank you, Mr. Stark." Loki turned and left. Tony glanced around the room.

"Jarvis, resume my music, if you would." The music blasted through the surround sound speakers. Tony grinned.

"Much better."


	9. Joyride

**I dedicate this to AngelofMischief, in gratitude for her review. (How did you know what I was planning on doing next?) **XD **I want to see Loki and Clint work through their problems too! I'm sorry if it's not quite as good as you hoped, but I'm doing the best I can. Thank you so much! **

**Secondary Genre: Friendship/Mischief**

Loki was bored. Again. He glanced over at the east wall of the rec room, and noticed a gigantic bookshelf. He lithely stepped over to it, and sure enough, they were real. He pulled down one, and scanned the cover. _The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Vol.2_. He nodded, and carried it into his bedroom. He lay down and opened the dusty tome, losing himself in the old-fashioned language and drama. A couple hours later, he'd finished reading _Hamlet_ and was just about to skip to _The Tempest _when the silence was shattered by the voices coming from his living room. He snapped the book shut and tossed it on the pillows. He peeked around the corner and saw Clint and Thor. Safe enough, he decided. But he definitely didn't like that they could traipse right in without asking his permission. Adopting the coolest, most aloof demeanor he could muster, he stepped into the room.

"Have you never heard of knocking?" he asked. Thor greeted his brother with his signature exuberance.

"Loki, Clint invited us to come ride with him." Loki's eyes narrowed.

"What are you talking about?" Clint shrugged.

"Tony's away for the day, and he left his garage unlocked, so I figured we might take one of his cars out for a spin." Loki paused.

"Don't you have some sort of grudge against me? I believe you threatened to put an arrow in my eye socket." Clint winced. Those had been his exact words.

"You saved Natasha, so I figured I owed you one. The second you go back to your old ways, then I'll follow through with the threat. Deal?" he explained. He held out his hand. Loki smiled slightly. He shook Clint's hand.

"Deal. Won't Tony object to you driving his vehicles, though?" Clint grinned.

"He can't object to it if he never finds out, now can he?"

"I suppose not. I promise not to tell." The raven-haired man agreed. Thor grinned, glad to see that his brother was on board with this. Socialization was good.

Halfway down to the garage, Thor realized something. He tugged on Clint's sleeve.

"Clint, doesn't Tony have security cameras in his garage?" Clint stopped.

"Damn, you're right. He'll know what we did." Loki smirked.

"I may be of service to you. I can render us invisible. I can also make a replica image of the car, and we'll be able to get in and out without alerting Tony or the cameras." Clint slapped Loki on the shoulder. He knew there was a good reason to bring the god of mischief along. Never mind the fact that it had been Thor's idea…But hey, he'd agreed. He could take some of the credit.

"Good thinking. Let's do it." he said. Loki wondered briefly if this was going too far. Tony had said no blood, bodies, or Hulk-outs. He hadn't mentioned anything about the cars being off limits. Loki was fairly certain that Tony would not be thrilled if he found out, though. He summoned his powers, and cast the spell. Unlike the blasts of fire, it didn't require much energy to cause invisibility or replicate items. Loki grinned.

They could still see each other, and Loki motioned for them to follow him. They went along as carefully as possible, and made it to the selected car. Clint hopped into the driver's seat. Thor sat in the front passenger seat, and Loki sat behind Clint. Carefully, Clint turned on the ignition, and eased the car out of its parking spot. Loki glanced behind to make sure that the replica image was in place. Satisfied that it was, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now go. As quickly as possible." Clint maneuvered the car out onto the street. Loki ended the invisibility spell.

"That went well, I think." He said. Clint put on his sunglasses, nodding. He experimented with the volume level on the radio, turning up the bass, and bringing the treble down slightly. The speakers vibrated. The top was down, and it was a beautiful sunny day. Loki glanced around. He liked this ride, but he was a little worried about running into Tony and/or Pepper. Thor didn't seem to care.

"Clint, what happens if we run into either of them?" Loki asked. Clint shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. I highly doubt we'll run into them." He shifted gears, and the car sped up. Thor laughed in delight as the wind whipped his hair around his face. Loki shook his head, resisting the urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Then they had to stop at a red light.

Loki glanced around uneasily. They stood too much of a chance of being recognized if they were standing still. Then he saw her. Pepper, having lunch with Tony and Natasha. This could not get any worse. The music was blaring the Rush song 'Fly By Night'. _How appropriate_. They were in the flashiest vehicle possible, and it was impossible not to recognize Thor. Tony seemed to sense something was amiss, and glanced up just in time to see Clint driving off. Loki pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and embarrassment. So much for the secrecy of their joyride. He should never have agreed to go along with this hare-brained scheme.

"Do you think he saw us?" Thor asked, almost comically. Clint shook his head.

"No, I think we're good." He answered sarcastically. Thor seemed confused.

"But he looked right at us." Clint rolled his eyes. Loki resisted the urge to slap his brother upside the head.

"Of course he saw us! So much for my efforts to hide it." Clint turned the car back towards StarkTower. He tried to smother the grin on his face.

"I'll deal with Tony. You guys were just along for the ride. Got it?" Thor nodded. Loki glanced around, feeling like an idiot.

"Is this what you mortals mean by the phrase 'Drive it like you stole it'?" he asked, shrinking down in the seat. Clint laughed.

"It's one possible meaning. But I'll explain it to you later. Right now, let's get home without trading paint."

"All right."

They made it back to the garage without any accidents. Tony was waiting for them. As soon as Clint cut the engine, he flew into a tirade.

"How could you take Sparky?!"

"Who's Sparky?"

"The car. That you stole." Tony said. Clint held up his hand to calm him down.

"Dude, chill, we just wanted to check it out." Tony didn't 'chill'. He was livid. He pointed to Loki.

"The cars are off limits!" Loki pointed to himself.

"You're blaming me for this?" Tony shrugged.

"I can't see anyone else thinking it would be a good idea to take my car-MY PRECIOUS CAR-out for a little scenic tour of the city!" Loki acted hurt.

"As much as I'd like to take sole responsibility for this, I will be truthful. Clint invited me to come along. I had nothing to do with it, otherwise. I wouldn't dream of touching your cars, least of all Sparky." Tony's hackles came down slowly.

"Oh, my god, you're telling the truth, aren't you?" Tony said. Loki nodded, feeling terrible about what he'd just done, blaming it all on Clint.

"Yes I am." Tony paced back and forth in front of them.

"I suppose I can forgive this just once. But don't ever do that again." All three of them nodded. "You can go now." They filed into the elevator. As soon as the doors slid shut, Clint started laughing.

"What's so funny? I just blamed you for that little escapade."

"No, don't worry about it. You told the truth. I can't blame you for that." Loki winced as Thor gave him a breath-constricting hug.

"See? Everything worked out." Loki struggled to escape his brother's grasp.

"Thor…can't…breathe!" Thor let go of him.

"Sorry, brother." They reached Loki's apartment. Loki got off the elevator.

"Maybe next time we can do something not quite so risky?" he asked. Clint nodded.

"Agreed. Oh, one thing about the whole stealing thing, we never would've gotten away with it. Tony has infrared cameras in his garage." Loki rolled his eyes and went back to his book, and spent the rest of the day in relative peace.


	10. Actions vs Words

**A/N: I've been thinking about this for a while now. All the Marvel movies (Iron Man through Avengers) have a character in common, and that is Phil Coulson. They should never have killed him off. **

**Part of the credit goes to my sister. Also to Reader-anonymous-writer. I hope you enjoy this. **

The Avengers and Loki were all down in the training center. They were taking a break, and enjoying each other's company. Even Loki. Ever since the joyride, Clint had been on better terms with the demigod. The break was interrupted when Fury strode in like he owned the place. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Security breach!" he said quietly.

"Enough, Tony. I need to speak with Loki." Loki wished he could melt into the floor at that moment. But he resisted the temptation.

"Why?" Thor asked.

"Soon enough, Thor. Come with me." Loki stood up and followed the director into the hall.

"What do you need, Director?" Loki asked, watching every facial movement, every hand gesture.

"During our conversation a couple months back, you said you regretted killing Coulson." Loki took a deep breath.

"I don't know what you've heard about my powers, but I can't bring people back from the dead, Director Fury." Fury nodded.

"I realize that, but…how do I put this? He's not dead." Loki's breath caught in his chest.

"He's not dead? Do the others know of this?"

"No. I couldn't tell them, not until we were sure he'd pull through. He's still in a coma, but now he's stable enough to try alternative methods of healing him." Loki paused.

"You want me to…heal Coulson?"

"You do use magic, don't you?" Loki nodded.

"Yes, but with the limits on my powers, I'm not sure what I could possibly do."

"Well, come see him, and we'll figure something out." Loki followed him down the hall.

They entered the infirmary. Loki wrinkled his nose in distaste for the beeping noise and the chemical smell. They stopped outside an observation room. Sure enough, there was Phil Coulson, hooked up to all manner of machines. The EKG, a ventilator, and countless IVs. Loki felt sick. This was the result of his work. _What have I done? How could I let Thanos use me so? I would take it back…_

"It's rough, ain't it?" Fury said, noting Loki's pained expression.

"It is." He finally replied. "Can we go in? I need to see the damage up close if I'm to restore him." Fury nodded to the armed guards. They stepped aside, and allowed him and Loki in.

Loki stared at the pale face before him, not allowing any of his thoughts onto his face. He could tell that the wounds on the outside had healed, but inside was a whole other story. He summoned what little power he had and willed it to work, muttering a short phrase under his breath. The results weren't immediately visible. He could sense the muscle growing back together. The scars from the entry and exit wounds disappeared, seemingly of their own will, but Fury knew that Loki was doing everything he could. Loki opened his eyes, investigating his handiwork. It looked much better, even more so than he'd hoped. The heart monitor picked up speed just slightly. Fury glanced over to the nurse, who nodded reassuringly. Loki bowed his head.

"I've done all I can, Director. The rest is up to him." Fury placed a hand on Loki's shoulder.

"The doctors will take it from here. Thank you. Please wait until I give you word, before you go telling the rest of them about Phil. I want to be sure of his recovery before we tell them." Loki nodded.

"Understood. May I go back to my rooms now?"

"Sure thing. Thank you again for your efforts." They were interrupted by a slight wheezing noise coming from the bed. Coulson had opened his eyes, but couldn't speak past the tube that was doing his breathing for him. The nurses quickly ushered Fury and Loki out while they did their work.

The nurse finally allowed them to come back in. Fury motioned for Loki to stay put. He understood, of course. Fury and Coulson were both talking. Coulson glanced up and saw Loki watching them. His face darkened momentarily, but then it changed. Fury waved Loki in through the door.

"You can tell him yourself." He said to Coulson. Loki watched him closely. The man was still weak, but he was much better than he had been.

"Fury tells me that you're on our side now."

"Yes, I am." Coulson nodded.

"Thank you for doing what the doctors couldn't."

"Don't thank me. I only repaired what wrong I've done. I haven't done anything yet to earn your gratitude." Coulson smiled.

"All right, then. I look forward to that day." Loki gave him a ghost of a smile.

"As do I. May I go now, Director Fury?" Fury nodded.

"Yeah, go ahead and tell them about this. I think he'll make it." Loki nodded, and left.


	11. It's HOT

**A/N: Because I'm dreaming of summer, being able to go outside without my coat, and mowing the lawn…I wrote this. The snow refuses to melt, and it's almost Easter. I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER!**

**This idea came from FrostedFangirl7413. Girl, you have no idea how much it means to me. Thank you for the lovely ideas! The reference to Jane Austen are a running joke between myself and vamp.**

**To anyone else who wants to see their ideas come up in this tale, by all means, tell me, either by PM or review. Or both. I'm not picky. **

Loki stared down from the balcony. It was a warm sunny day. But then, it seemed like they all had been so far. Suddenly he felt too warm, so he went back to the air-conditioned confines of his apartment. He had long since exhausted the contents of the library that Stark had set up for him, and rereading the books held no interest for him. He decided he'd go up to Tony's workshop and see what fun he could stir up.

The shop was empty. _Where could they have gone?_ He took the elevator down the training center, with much the same result. He finally went to the very top floor, and found everyone moping around by the pool, trying to ward off the heat.

"What going on, everybody?" Tony glanced up from his magazine.

"It's hot." He said simply. Loki looked puzzled.

"So why aren't you doing anything about it?" he asked. Tony sat up.

"You might be onto something there, Frosty." Loki gave him a flat stare.

"Really? Is that the best nickname you could come up with?" Tony shrugged away the insult.

"I'll be right back. Stay here and keep 'em out of trouble." Loki scanned the room.

"Right…" he said, picking up Natasha's abandoned copy of Pride and Prejudice. He sat down and started reading. This book hadn't been in his library, and as he read farther, he could sort of understand why. By the time Tony got back, he had read through at least half the book, and he wanted to find this Jane Austen and give her a piece of his mind.

Tony was lugging a cooler, and one of his robots was bringing up some sort of table. Tony set down the cooler with a sigh of relief.

"Dummy, set it right there." The robot complied. Tony dug through the cooler, and pulled out several bottles full of different colored liquids.

"Okay, Loki, could you set these on the table for me?" Loki snapped the book shut.

"What, I don't even get a 'please'?" Tony rolled his eyes.

"If it gets you to help me out, I guess so. Loki, will you please help me set this up?"

"Of course. What is this contraption?" he smirked. Tony had set everything up, and he hit a few buttons.

"Uh, hopefully sno-cone ingredients. I was bored, and I put the stuff together, but I never found a time or place to use it." Loki still looked confused.

"What is a sno-cone?" Tony's eyes widened in shock.

"You don't know what a…Oh, right. Asgardian. Sorry about that. It's basically shaved ice with undiluted Kool-aid poured over it. They're pretty good. Especially on hot days like this." Tony opened the cooler and scooped some of the ice into a little paper cone.

"What flavor you want?" Loki's eyes narrowed. He read the labels. Cherry, blue raspberry, lime, lemonade, and strawberry.

"Can I pick more than one?" Tony grinned.

"Sure. Raspberry and lime might be an interesting combination." Loki nodded.

"Okay, I'll take that." Tony handed him the completed delicacy. Loki took a mouthful of the ice, and his eyes lit up.

"This is wonderful! Thor, you simply must try this!" Thor looked up blearily.

"What is it?"

"Just try it." Loki pointed to a different flavor, and Tony made one up.

"Here you go, Point Break." Tony said, handing the second sno-cone to Thor. He tried it.

"You were right brother, this is very good indeed. What is this magical concoction?" Tony shook his head.

"That's need-to-know, and you don't. Just enjoy it, my friend." Minutes later, all the Avengers had helped themselves to this cold treat. Then the unexpected happened. They all were complaining of a headache. Loki glanced around.

"What is wrong with you?" he asked, completely puzzled. Thor shook his head, his brow furrowed in pain.

"I'm not sure. What evil is this? What have you put into this concoction, friend Stark?" Tony laughed.

"Nothing. It's brain freeze. If you hadn't eaten it so fast, you wouldn't have that problem." He said. He was the only one besides Loki who wasn't suffering from the effects of excessive ice consumption. "Which brings me to my next question. Why are you not getting brain freeze? You ate that thing in, like, 30 seconds." Loki shrugged.

"I'm a frost giant. Cold doesn't affect me as much. But really, Thor conquered by shaved ice? It would be absolutely sad if it were not so amusing!"

"Watch it, brother!" Thor said, laughing. He leaped across the tiled floor and tackled Loki. They fell into the swimming pool. The brothers resurfaced, laughing. Tony grinned.

"Last one in is a rotten egg!" he shouted.


	12. Homesick

**A/N: Holy cow, how time flies! This has been awesome, and I'm going to continue this fic until I run out of ideas, or just grow sick of it. But with the new Marvel movies (Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 ^-^) coming out this year, I think the inspiration might keep going. Thanks, as always to my reviewers. **

**AngelofMischief, you need to get a profile so I can thank you personally! XD **

**Thanks to TFKpuppet, vamp of alium sativum, FrostedFangirl7413, Katella, and I Know Love Hurts 2010, for your reviews. I'm glad you've all enjoyed it so far. **

**To everyone who is following this story, but hasn't reviewed, your opinion matters to me! The last one was a little out of order. I'm sorry about that…I was just desperate for a little taste of summer, and now that I've gotten my fix, we shall carry on as though it were springtime. **

**Carry on! XD**

Loki ran into his apartment. _Couldn't the All-father pick a better day to summon Thor home?_ This very day, it had been two years since his fall—no, since he let go on the Bifrost. The day that he had fallen into the hands of Thanos and the Chitauri. He felt a wave of panic building in his chest. This day of all days, Thanos would probably be redoubling his efforts to take back his escaped 'slave'. Loki shuddered to think what would happen if he was found. He lay down on the couch, trying to calm himself. Thor had been summoned back to Asgard for official business, and to give a report on Loki's conduct. Loki was admittedly jealous of the privilege. How he longed to be back on Asgardian soil, to watch the sun rise over the Realm Eternal, to be able to come and go as he pleased. He missed his home. He missed his mother, he missed Sigyn. He wondered how she was faring.

He sat up when he thought of anything that could've happened to her in his absence. What if Thanos had found his way into Asgard? What if he had taken her, or worse, killed her and his mother and father? _Weak, weak, weak! You fool, they're not really your mother and father. You're a Jotun—no, you don't even count as one of them; you're too small. Why would anyone even want you, except as a pawn? You're bargaining chip, collateral; disposable. You'll never be anything more. _ He shook his head, stunned that he'd even thought about denying his family. But it wasn't him thinking. It was the same thing Thanos had drilled into his mind under torture. Loki brushed away the memories. By now he was willing to admit that since no one else had stood by him, they counted as family. Blood mattered not. Thinking about it made him feel only slightly better. It was easier to believe that they cared about him when Thor was there.

He gave a start when he heard a soft knock on his door. He got up and opened the door a crack. It was Pepper.

"Hey, Loki."

"Miss Potts, how can I help you?" he asked. Pepper shook her head.

"Oh, I just came up to check on you. Tony was worried because you didn't show up at training today, and I had to come check on you. He would've come himself, but a spur of the moment meeting got in the way. Everyone was worried." Loki's eyes widened. Everyone was worried? About him? Lately he'd shied away from the others, talking mostly to just Thor. It was like he wanted to make up for the year lost.

"I'm all right. Do you want to come in? If you're not too busy, I mean." Pepper considered it a moment. For once, her schedule was clear. That was a rare occurrence, and she would enjoy her day off.

"As long as I'm not bothering you, I suppose I could come in." Loki ushered her through the door.

"No, no, it's no bother at all. Please have a seat. I'll be right back." Pepper took the seat.

"So what's bugging you, Loki? You've been so quiet lately, it's almost frightening." Loki shrugged.

"It has to do with what happened before my short-lived attack. Don't worry, it's not a relapse," he said, noting her concerned stare. "Today is the two-year anniversary of when I fell from the Bifrost." Pepper released the breath she'd been holding.

"And with Thor gone…you're homesick. But you can't go home." she whispered. Loki nodded, ashamed of being so weak, especially in front of Pepper.

"Exactly. I've felt that someone has been searching for me, and I don't want to be found. It's gotten worse the closer we got to this day." Pepper scooted a little closer to him, and cautiously put an arm around him. Loki made no move to get away.

"Well, we won't let that happen. We have a responsibility to both you and Thor to keep you safe." Loki smiled.

"As much comfort as that gives me, it may not be enough to stop what's coming for me. I've pretty much made a deal with the devil, as you would say it." Pepper thought it might be a good time to change the subject.

"So what is it like on Asgard?" she asked. Loki seemed surprised by the sudden change of subject. But he needed to get his mind off of Thanos, and this was the perfect distraction.

"It's beautiful. The golden city, Lady Frigga's garden, the royal library…" he paused. Pepper was watching him.

"What was it like growing up there?" Loki thought a moment.

"That was a long time ago. But, let's see…Thor, by mortal standards, is two years older than me. But in Asgardian terms, there were many centuries between the time he was born and the time Odin adopted me. We were both brought up as princes, which meant that mischief was frowned upon, especially if it was my fault." Pepper grinned.

"It's not your fault. It's just in your nature." Loki smiled.

"That it is. Thor's friends always looked down on me because of my use of magic. Only one person besides Thor understood it, and I taught her quite a bit."

"What is her name?"

"Sigyn. We got along well, and we'd get each other out of trouble and practice magic together."

"Did you love her?" Pepper asked.

"Yes, I suppose I did. As much as someone like me might be expected to." He fell silent. Pepper let him keep his thoughts to himself.

The moment was interrupted by a crash of thunder, which was odd, since the skies were clear. Loki glanced up.

"Thor!" he whispered under his breath. Pepper smiled. Thor strode into the apartment. Loki stepped over to him and embraced him.

"I missed you, brother." He said quietly. Thor seemed taken aback by this far-from-normal show of emotions. After a moment, he put an arm around his brother. He glanced up, noticing Pepper. He released his brother. Loki stepped back, all his panic gone.

"Lady Pepper! What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"

"Oh, yes. We're fine. Loki just needed someone to talk to, so I decided I would." Thor glanced worriedly at his brother. Loki shook his head slightly, as if to say, 'All is well.' Thor's countenance brightened somewhat.

"Thank you for keeping my brother company in my absence."

"No problem. I'm going to go now, and see when Tony's coming back. I'm glad you're back, Thor." She left. Loki watched her go.

"I wonder if Tony realizes how lucky he is." he said. Thor nodded, digging through his pack for something.

"I brought a gift for you from home." he said as he handed a book to his brother. Loki took it, surprised to see what had once been his favorite book as a child. It was a piece of home, and it was precious. "Mother sent it for you." Loki said nothing. He opened it, inhaleing the scent of the dusty old library._ Just like he remembered it._

"Thank you. So much."


	13. Midgardian Devices, Part 2

**A/N: This one was inspired by a moment of goofing off with my cousin TFKpuppet. Thanks also to Arrowhead1996 for suggestions on games.**

Thor was now the one bored. This didn't happen often. He wandered around StarkTower, looking for something to do. He walked past Clint and Natasha's apartment, and heard gunshots and shouting coming from the main living area. He knocked on the door. The noise stopped instantly, and Clint answered the door.

"What's up, Thor?" The demigod shook his head.

"I heard gunfire, and I was concerned for your welfare, Friend Clint." Clint looked confused for a moment.

"Oh, I was just playing Halo 3. You wanna come in and join us? It's just me and Stark right now, but we can set up a third controller." Thor nodded, setting Mjolnir down by the door. Soon he was sitting on the low couch, playing along. He was amazed at how quickly he picked up on how the controller worked. They plunged back into their battle against the aliens.

Not too long afterwards, another soft knock at the door made them pause their game. This time it was Loki.

"Brother, you simply must try this game! It's fun!" Loki eyed the TV screen with distaste. After his first encounter with the TV in his apartment, he was wary of any new technology.

"Is it safe?" he asked. Thor nodded emphatically. Tony got up to set up the fourth controller.

"Here you go, Blitzen." Loki took the controller and sat down next to Thor. Clint waited for the screen to divide again. Loki swallowed, not sure of what he was supposed to do. He watched what Thor was doing, and followed suit. His avatar promptly got shot.

"What happened? Why did you do that?" Clint grinned deviously.

"Don't worry, he'll re-spawn in a minute. Remember, look around, and when you see something move, line up the crosshairs and pull the trigger. Got it?" Loki glared at the device in his hands.

"I think so…" Clint went back to playing. Loki saw something move deep in the shadows of the corridor, and shot at it. Tony gave a cry of displeasure.

"Dude, you're not supposed to kill me, I'm on your team!" Loki sucked his teeth.

"Sorry. I didn't know." Loki went back to stalking the halls. He saw something come bounding towards him, and realized that it was Clint again. The figure disappeared entirely, only to reappear in the periphery of his avatar's vision. "WHERE ARE YOU, DEMON SCUM?!" Loki shrieked, the avatar spinning madly and shooting all the while. "Tony, help me!" he said pitifully. Clink cackled at the outburst, but still managed to assassinate Loki without missing a beat. Loki groaned when he saw his character fall to the ground. Clint's avatar ran off after a celebratory dance over the corpse of his fallen foe. Loki shook his head in despair. Had he really fallen so low?

He waited until it re-spawned. Then he took off again. This time he would not lose.

This time he picked up a different gun. This one was kind of bulky, with something on it that looked like pink icicles. Then he saw Clint coming at him, and he fired. Several of the spikes hit the would-be assassin, and he exploded. Loki threw his hands in the air at this unexpected turn of events.

"YES! I did it!" He went back to the controller. Soon, he found Thor and took out his avatar. Tony gave a victorious shout, and slugged Loki on the shoulder happily.

"Dude, we won! Nice work." Loki grinned. This was fun. His happiness was soon turned to confusion when Tony's avatar turned around and shot him point blank in the face.

"What was that?" Tony looked positively devilish as he ran away from the scene of the crime.

"You've been Tony'd, my friend." Loki gave him a slightly evil glare as he set his controller down.

"Midgardian devices hate me." he said as he stood up. All three of them watched as he left. Collectively, they shrugged and went back to their game.

**A/N: I know Loki should be able to pick up on Halo really quickly, but once I started writing this, it spun out of control and became something completely different. I'm sure you know the feeling…Review, please!**


	14. Nicknames, Impersonations, and Archery

**A/N: I know, extreme OOC-ness going on here. I needed something to write, and this is what happened. (There seems to be a pattern here…) **

**Enjoy! (or not)**

"Why on earth would you challenge the best archer in the world to an archery contest?" Tony asked flatly. Loki shrugged.

"I'll have you know, Mr. Stark, I'm not exactly an amateur archer either." Thor fell into step alongside them.

"My brother speaks truth, Tony. He's not bad. I still question the wisdom of challenging Clint, though." Loki stopped, and gave his brother a pointed stare.

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, _brother_." He said jokingly. It felt good to be able to joke again. Thor slugged him on the shoulder a little too hard. Loki caught himself before he tripped, using Thor's arm to steady himself. Tony pretended not to notice.

They walked into the shooting range, to see Clint already there. Loki's eyes narrowed when he saw the targets stuck full of arrows already.

"Hey, it's about time you guys showed up." Loki shrugged off the jibe as he unpacked the case in which his bow resided. He pulled aside the oilskin, and held up the bow. It gleamed in the fluorescent glow of the ceiling lights. Loki tucked the end against the arch of his foot, and strung it in one smooth motion. Clint watched suspiciously, wondering how such an antique weapon could match his own bow.

"What's the draw weight?" he asked. Loki glanced up at him.

"Asgardian or Midgardian?" he inquired. Clint rolled his eyes.

"Midgardian, of course." He replied. Loki's eyes glinted merrily.

"65 to 70 pounds. But what does it matter? Obviously, such a primal weapon could never match yours." He said, with deeply veiled sarcasm. Clint walked over to the targets and began to pull the quarrels out of them. Loki checked all the arrows in the quiver, making sure none of them had been damaged on the trip back from Asgard. Among the things Thor had brought back, Loki's throwing blades, bow, and arrows had been the most missed of his treasures. There were no words for how happy was to have them back.

He took his stance, making sure that Clint was behind the rail. He drew the string back, until his thumb touched his cheek. He inhaled and released the string. The hiss of the arrow, and the satisfying thump as the bolt hit the target…It was a good shot, but still slightly off center. Clint nodded. Okay, so Loki was pretty good, but still, he knew he could do better. He duplicated the draw, and fired. It hit dead center. Clint grinned. Loki would have to get better real quick if he wanted to best him. Loki returned the grin with a cordial, if not sarcastic, nod of the head. Thor watched as his brother prepared to fire again. This time Loki did not miss. The arrow stuck in the center of the dummy's chest. Tony gave an explosive cheer.

"Nice shot, Katniss." Loki glared at him.

"Why couldn't you give me a better nickname than that? Even Blitzen or Frosty would be a better option." Tony laughed.

"Would you rather I called you Susan?" Loki narrowed his eyes.

"Why not something with literary connotations? Like, Legolas?"

"That's Clint's nickname. His alone. No one else can have it."

"Well, then I'd prefer you called me by my given name, or something pertaining to ice and cold." Tony shrugged.

"Hey, how about Robin Hood?" Tony suggested. "You wear an unhealthy amount of green, and you're not half bad at shooting." Loki shook his head in amusement.

"Call me that in public, and I'll dig your heart out with a spoon." He muttered, as he drew back the string to fire again. Tony grinned.

"Why a spoon, Loki? Why not an axe?" Loki fired into the dummy, splitting his first arrow up the shaft.

"Because it's dull, you twit, it'll hurt more." He said, giving a droll imitation of Alan Rickman. Tony cracked up. Even Thor was smiling, though he didn't understand the reference. Clint shot two more arrows, and set down the bow.

"Guys, I'm done for the day." Loki glanced over at his competitor.

"Aww, we were just starting to have fun!" Loki said. Clint raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Until next time. I've kinda got a date. And unlike most women, this one will actually kill me, slowly and painfully, if I don't show up. See ya around." Clint said.

"Good luck, man. Say hi to her for me." Tony said, giving Clint's retreating form a sloppy military salute.

"So, now what?" Thor asked. Loki shrugged.

"I could show you those movies, so that next time you actually understand what's going on in the conversation. How does that sound?" Thor nodded.

"As long as there's popcorn, I'm in." Loki grinned.

"Of course."

**A/N: Sorry, I just had to include the Alan Rickman thing in there. If you haven't seen Tom Hiddleston's impersonations, you're missing out. Again, I know this is probably very OOC, but cut me some slack; I'm only human. Review please, or my plot bilgesnipe, Travis, shall be unleashed. (and we don't want that, now do we?)**


	15. Missing, Part I

**A/N: This idea was given to me by TFKpuppet. She told me about Forseti, and gave me the idea of him being none too happy with our favorite trickster. I've taken liberties (some might say 'artistic license') with the mythology canon, especially concerning the death of Balder. Hopefully I won't get too much flak for that. As the chapter name says this one is in more than one part. I think there might only be one more pertaining to this little plot twist, so enjoy! Part II should be up either tomorrow, or Wednesday.**

It was a sleepy Sunday afternoon. It was raining, but it was a gentle rain. Tony and the rest of the Avengers (with the exception of Thor and Loki) were hanging out in the common room.

Thor burst through the door. Everybody looked up, surprised at his sudden appearance.

"Have any of you seen Loki?" he asked. Steve set down the book he was reading.

"No, why?" he asked. Thor ran his hand through his hair, brushing it back from his face.

"He and I were going to spar today, and when he was late showing up, I went to check on him. He wasn't in his quarters. So I asked Tony's computer servant where my brother was, and he didn't know. I'm worried for my brother's safety, friends."

"Are you sure he's not just hiding for the fun of it? He is the god of mischief, after all." Bruce asked. Even he was slightly worried, but he hid it very well. Thor shook his head.

"I'm sure of it. He would've come out by now, if he were hiding." Tony got up and set down his coffee.

"Well, let's check out his apartment, and see if we can figure out what happened." He said.

The team stepped out of the elevator. Natasha scanned the room, noticing a book on the floor, splayed open. She picked it up and smoothed the crumpled pages.

"Well, wherever he is, he didn't go willingly. He'd never leave one of his books like this." Thor nodded, biting his lip.

"Hey, Thor, do you know what this means? I can't read this writing. It's some form of runes." Bruce held up a piece of antique-looking parchment. Thor took it carefully, and read it. He paled considerably. Tony noticed and glanced at it.

"What's it say?" Thor handed it to the billionaire.

"It's Forseti." He said simply.

"Say what?" Tony said blankly. Thor took a deep breath.

"Your stories of my people say that Loki tricked Hodar into shooting Balder, but it was actually Loki himself who released the arrow. Balder's son, Forseti, was eager for revenge, being the god of justice. Loki vowed he would go into Helheim and retrieve Balder. Odin approved, and lent him the horse Sleipnir to help complete this task. Accompanied by our younger brother, Hermod, he convinced Queen Hela (his daughter) to release Balder. The three of them returned to Asgard alive, much to the people's delight. Forseti did not see it the same way." Everyone let it sink in.

"So, you think this Forseti would come all the way to Midgard to attack someone under your protection, just to see his version of justice carried out?" Thor gave Tony a withering glance reminiscent of his brother's.

"I don't think, I know. Forseti lives only to see justice dealt out, not to forgive. He condemns, never pardoning." Tony nodded.

"Sorry for doubting you. Well, everybody, let's suit up and find Loki." Everyone rushed to don their uniforms.

* * *

Loki woke up in a dark corner of some warehouse. His hands were bound behind his back, and he couldn't move. His head felt as though it were on fire as he tried to remember what chain of events had led to this. He had been in his apartment, reading, waiting until it was time to meet up with Thor. After that, he was drawing a blank. Muffled voices from the next room interrupted his thoughts. He recognized the voice. Forseti. This was not good. It could be worse, but still. If he had full possession of his powers, he would be able to escape. But he didn't. He would have to trust that Thor and the others would come looking for him. The door flew open. The sudden light blinded Loki momentarily.

"Wake up." Forseti growled, kicking Loki's prone form. Loki bit back a pained cry.

"Good to see you too, Forseti. Long time, no see, as the Midgardians would say." he said, ignoring the sharp pain in his ribs. The kick had probably cracked one or two of them. Forseti hauled him to his feet.

"Keep your jests to yourself, Liesmith. I am not in the mood for it." Loki gave him a smug smile.

"Ah, you never were, were you?" Forseti backed him against the wall, his forearm pressing against the trickster's throat.

"You call my father's death a jest?" Loki swallowed, trying to think of a response that wouldn't get him killed. None were forthcoming.

"The past is the past. I brought him back, did I not?" Forseti released him and backed up one step.

"That doesn't bring my mother back, now does it?" Loki sighed irritably.

"Your mother committed suicide. I had nothing to do with it, according to the All-father's verdict. I paid the wergild, I brought your father back, and I have done everything the law required of me. What more would you have me do?"

"I would have you die. Anything less would break my vow for vengeance."

"So you would take the laws of my father into your hands, and twist them to fit your desires?"

"You're not a child of the All-father. You're a Jotun. Why he would ever have taken you in as his own is beyond me." Loki bowed his head. He often wondered what Odin's motives might have been, but he understood now that he was the All-father's son in all but blood. Nothing else mattered. The moment was disturbed when a young man ran in. He looked like a younger version of Thor.

"Hermod? What are you doing here?" Loki asked, confused. Hermod glanced at Forseti.

"Your brother is here of his own will," Forseti said to Loki. "He's looking for vengeance too. When you brought Balder back from Helheim, you received all the credit. Hermod had gone through the same dangers, but you ignored him." Loki stared at his brother, completely caught off guard.

"You…brother…want me dead?" Hermod looked positively fierce.

"No, I only want what is rightfully mine. You and your hare-brained adventure nearly cost me my life." Loki shook his head.

"You didn't have to come along with me. You could've stayed behind and let me go by myself. I would have paid for my own actions." Forseti grinned.

"No, Loki. Don't lie to yourself. You always find a way out of the problems you create. The wall around Asgard, Sif's hair, my father's death…" he accused. Loki gave a choked laugh.

"Oh, that's rich! I barely got out of those situations unscathed. I have always reaped the consequences of my actions! You know of Sleipnir's origins. For Sif's hair, I ended up getting my mouth sewn shut! And in order to get your father back, I had to journey through the countless dangers of the Underworld. My daughter Hela drives a hard bargain when it comes to giving up those who've passed through her doors." He turned to Hermod. "As for you, the credit I received was nothing less than I deserved. You were a perfect coward, deserting me to my estranged daughter's tender mercies. I've endured far more than you could ever dream of, and come through stronger than before. Tell me again that I've gotten away with every crime I committed!" His monologue was rewarded with a stunning blow to the jaw. He crumpled to the floor, semi-conscious. As his vision faded, he heard Forseti's order to Hermod.

"He dies tonight." Loki shuddered. This was not going to be pleasant. _"Please find me, Thor. Don't let them do this."_ he thought, as everything went black.


	16. Missing, Part II

**A/N: Here's Part II! It's a bit longer than usual…Whoops. Hopefully that won't be a bad thing. O.o **

**I'm including something new here, Norse zombies, called the Draugar (singular Draugr). I'm seriously not making these up. I found it on the site my cousin suggested ( ). The only thing I made up is how to kill them. The Avengers vs. one guy seemed unfair to me. And if I were going after Loki, I'd bring along some helpers as well. Enjoy. **

Thor bowed his head in despair. The team had been searching for hours now, and had come up with nothing.

"What now?" he asked. Tony landed next to him.

"I can't really say. Let's try one more thing, and if that doesn't work, then…" Thor gave him a sharp look. "Okay, failure is not an option. I get it." Tony took off for another area of town, with Thor close behind him.

* * *

Loki was exhausted. Forseti had left him alone for the time being, but that certainly wasn't going to last long. He wondered what the other man's plans were, but decided not to think of it. He needed to focus on freeing his hands, and then see what happened. Because of his accelerated healing abilities, his ribs didn't pain him as much. A dull ache, nothing more. He pulled one more time, and his left hand slipped through the knot. He smiled. There was hope. He stood up, making sure to move silently. He investigated the room, searching for any clue as to where he was. The door, of course, was locked from the outside. He sat back down, wracking his brains for a plan. He had no weapons, limited magic, and no idea of whether or not the others would be looking for him.

_Of course, they're looking for you, you idiot._

**_Yes, but what if they aren't?_**

_Thor would never abandon you like this._

**_True, but he'll need everyone's help in order to figure this riddle out. Not everybody will want to find you._**

_That's not true! I haven't done anything lately to drive them away. They'll come. They'll come._

**_But if they don't, what then?_**

_I do the best I can on my own, and if the worst should happen, I…_

**_See what I mean?_**

_As much as I hate to admit it, yes. If my magic fails me the first time I try anything, it's all over. _

**_You speak sense, my friend._**

_I would certainly hope so._

**_What was that, what Tony said about arguing with yourself and losing? That it was a sure sign you're insane?_**

_Well…_

His internal debate was interrupted when he heard footsteps coming down the corridor. As far as he could tell, it was only one, and it was probably Hermod. The door creaked as it swung open. Loki put his hands behind his back as though he were still tied, and let his head drop to one side, pretending to sleep. Hermod came to a stop in front of him, and nudged his leg with his boot.

"Wake up, Loki." Loki opened his eyes blearily.

"What? Is it morning already?" he asked, half joking. Hermod shook his head in exasperation.

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?" Loki cocked his head to one side.

"Come to think of it, no." Hermod grabbed Loki's arm and hauled him to his feet.

"Forseti ordered me to bring you to him." Loki's expression soured. The beginnings of a plan were forming in his mind.

"Since when are you such good friends with the son of Balder?" Hermod paused. Loki took advantage of the distraction and launched himself at his brother. He took him into a choke hold and waited until the boy went limp. He laid him down gently and bound his hands. Now that the door was open, it was only a matter of getting out, and finding the Avengers. He glanced out into the hall, and walked away.

"How clever of you, Loki." Loki froze mid-step. Of course Forseti would've been close behind, to make sure Hermod didn't let him escape. He turned around and held his hands up.

"As much as I'd love to stay, I've got some friends who are probably looking for me right about now…" Forseti gave a short barking laugh.

"I do not fear your friends. They're probably all sniveling cowards such as yourself! I have brought friends of my own." Loki was confused. Then he heard the low moan of what could only be a Draugr. This was bad. His limited powers against the undead? What chance did he have?

A crash echoed down the hall, revealing Tony and Thor, along with the Hulk. Loki grinned triumphantly.

"You know, I kind of find it offensive to be called a coward. How about you guys?" Tony said, his voice somewhat distorted by the helmet. Hulk roared in response. Thor scowled. Loki watched as the green monster flew at Forseti and bashed him into the floor.

"Well done my friend, but I'm afraid there's more smashing to be done." He stared down his nose at Forseti's prone form. "Just breathe through the pain, you'll be fine." He quipped. Forseti only groaned in response. Hulk smiled. Tony heard the growling and turned to Thor.

"Uh, what's making that noise?" Loki strode over to his brother.

"Thor, Forseti brought a group of Draugar. This isn't over yet. Without him to command them, who knows what they'll do." Thor nodded.

"We need to keep them contained in this building. If they get loose in the city, we're in trouble." Thor handed Loki his bow and quiver, along with all the daggers he'd been able to find. Loki slung the quiver over his shoulder, and tucked the daggers into his sleeves and pants pockets. _"You should really wear your armor all the time. No telling who might decide to come after you next. No more of this flimsy Midgardian garb!"_ He thought to himself. The bow was strung, and he held an arrow ready to release. He nodded.

"Let's go." He said. The rest of the team followed him and Thor. One of the creatures jumped out of a side passage, bringing Tony down. One blast from the repulsors sent the creature shrieking. Loki fired after it, striking it in the middle of the back. The creature shuddered once and lay still. Tony pulled himself up.

"Those things are strong." Thor nodded tersely.

"That they are. And Forseti brought quite a few from what I can tell." The came to a room filled with crates and shipping containers. Ten of them leapt down, from different sides, effectively cutting off all exits.

"Now what? They apparently have learned to strategize." Thor mumbled. Loki stared at the encircling army of the undead.

"Don't show fear, aim for the heart, and don't let them scratch you. Captain, do you mind?" Steve nodded uncertainly. Loki faced the others.

"Clint, you and Loki climb up top of these crates, and keep them from regrouping. Natasha, Thor, guard the east door over there. Don't let anyone get past you. Tony and I will work together. They seem to dislike the light, so we'll use my shield to reflect the repulsor beams. Bruce, do what ever you can to keep them scattered."

Loki and Clint scrambled up the side of the crates, taking their stance and firing into the main group of draugar. Down below, Natasha was going to work with the pistols. Thor batted them away with ease. Tony fired up the hand repulsors, the beams of which, Steve directed into the oncoming horde. The creatures fell. Hulk, as random as always, was pounding them into the floor left and right.

"How come they're not getting any less?" Clint asked Loki as he fired one of his exploding arrows. Thirteen of the creatures blew apart from the blast. Loki shrugged, reaching for another dart. He drew it back.

"I'm not sure. Just keep going." He said as he fired. The arrow went through two of the creatures. He glanced over the edge, and saw four or five of them starting to climb. "Clint, we need to get off of here. They've figured out where we're firing from." Clint made a running leap to the next crate.

"Come on, Loki, hurry! They're almost up." Loki glanced around. He was surrounded, and there was no way off the crate. He let one of the daggers slip out of his sleeve and flung it at the draugr directly between himself and Clint. The creature gave a terrifying gurgling shriek as it fell. Loki gathered himself for the spring, but mid leap, a whistling twang filled the air. Thor glanced up just in time to see Loki go sprawling across the crate with an arrow embedded deeply in his chest. Forseti smiled triumphantly. His revenge was almost complete.

Loki rolled to his knees, gasping as he yanked the bolt from the wound. He felt blood seeping through his shirt…Inwardly he was panicking. His hands were shaking so much, he dropped the bow.

"Don't worry, I'll get him." Clint growled as he whirled around and fired at the traitor. Loki heard the strangled cry. He was glad that he hadn't been able to fire the shot. Forseti had gotten his just reward. Loki tried to get up to his feet, but he suddenly felt very dizzy. He collapsed, rolling onto his side.

He tried weakly to pull himself up onto his hands and knees, but his limbs weren't exactly following orders at the moment. Three draugr found him lying there, and moved closer. They could taste and smell the fresh blood in the air, and it drove them into frenzy. One of them went after Clint. Loki weakly held up his hands. He gathered what little energy he had left and hit them with a green blast of magic that ripped them apart. There were still more coming. Loki couldn't defend himself any more. It was struggle just to keep his eyes open.

A loud roar filled the air, and the group of Draugr was swept aside by a very angry Hulk. The green beast stood guard over Loki, beating off any others who might dare take advantage of his vulnerable state. Clint kept an eye on any approaching undead, taking care not to let any get through.

After seeing Loki brought down so easily, Thor's fury doubled. With each blow of Mjolnir, sparks of lightning bounced off the chamber walls. That in addition to Tony's repulsor blasts caused the draugar to drop where they stood. Thor glanced around to make sure all the draugar were dead.

"Banner, bring my brother down to me." The Hulk gingerly lifted Loki into his arms and leapt down. Thor took Loki and set him gently on the floor. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and he was barely breathing. "Loki, can you hear me?" Loki nodded slightly. "Eir, preserve him." Thor muttered. He tore the bottom edge of his cape and folded it up to make a bandage. Loki sat up with some effort.

"What are you doing?" he rasped. Thor pulled the strip of fabric around his brother's chest, tightening it down over the wound. Loki bit his lip to keep from crying out. "Take it easy, you oaf! You're about as gentle as a herd of angry bilgesnipe." Thor smiled slightly. The wound was discolored, which was a bad sign. He talked over his worry, though. He didn't want Loki to lose hope. He was gonna need it.

"It's for your own good. If we can slow the bleeding down, you'll be able to heal on your own, with no interference." Loki nodded, becoming more comfortable with the tension of the bandage.

"Thor, Hermod was here." He drew another ragged breath. "He was with Forseti." Thor's face was unreadable

"I'll find him and take him back home." Loki felt lightheaded again, and everything went black. He could vaguely hear Thor yelling something about a poisoned arrow, but he didn't care. Nothing really seemed to matter anymore. He let the calming blackness take him.

* * *

Loki woke up feeling very groggy. He turned to the side, and saw Thor leaning back in his chair, sleeping. His chest felt as though it was on fire, but other than that, he felt fine. A little weak maybe, but considering the alternative, he could deal with that. Thor stirred in his sleep, and then sat up, fully awake. His face split into a grin when he saw Loki watching him.

"Loki! Thank Eir, you're alive." Loki winced as he shifted under the covers.

"I'm beginning to wonder if that's a good thing…" he moaned. Thor smiled.

"I'll leave you alone if you'd prefer." Loki shrugged, the movement causing him to bite back a cry. He hadn't felt this much pain since he'd been held prisoner by Thanos.

"You can stay of you keep your voice below a shout. What was on that arrow? This wound should have healed by now." Thor poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the nightstand. He held the glass to Loki's lips. Loki took a few sips, trying not to move too much. Any effort seemed to drain him. Even thinking about sitting up made him want to go back to sleep. Thor seemed to sense this.

"The arrow was poisoned, and it slowed down your healing abilities. I should have known Forseti would be so treacherous." Thor sounded disappointed in himself for not predicting it.

"You wouldn't have known. Speaking of treacherous, did you find our brother?" Thor laughed without humor.

"Yes. Heimdall himself came for the little wretch." Loki's eyes widened.

"What did you do to him?"

"We had a very good discussion about a prince's conduct. Let me just say that he will not be in line for the crown anytime soon."

"Good for him."

**A/N: Wow that was long. But I hope it was enjoyable! Review please. **


	17. Wheelchairs and Randomness

**A/N: An extension of TFKpuppet's idea that Loki could take a while to get better. This can only mean fun… *shrugs* Fun for me at least. **

**Warning: Mentions of an eight-legged horse. I realize some people really have issues with that subject. Personally, I don't think the story of Sleipnir is ****_that_**** strange. A mare is a mare, even though Loki's normal form is male. Anyway, if you don't like it, don't read it! **

_"If we cannot have your head, we shall silence your silver tongue instead."_

_Loki cringed away from the grimy hands gripping his jaw. The needle was coming closer…closer…_

Loki sat straight up in bed, gasping for air. His hand automatically went to his mouth, and he was relieved to find no stitches, or any evidence of the damage inflicted. He glanced around the room, suddenly feeling very foolish. He was in StarkTower, in his bed, perfectly safe. He winced when he realized the sudden movement had disturbed the bandage around his chest. The wound was slow to heal, and it was driving him insane. He heard a soft knock at the door.

"Come in." he said, stifling a yawn. The door opened.

"Brother, are you all right?" Thor asked concerned, shutting the door behind him. Loki rubbed his forehead, trying to get rid of the nightmare. Actually, since it was late afternoon, how could it be a nightmare? It was almost 5:00 in the evening.

"Just a dream. I think I'll be fine—what in Helheim is that?" Loki asked sharply, indicating the contraption that Thor had just set alongside the bed.

"It's a wheelchair." he said cheerfully. Loki wasn't sure what to make of it. It was a kind gesture, certainly, but he was tired of being the poor, pitiful invalid. The poison had worked its way out of his system, but it left him weak. Walking was still most certainly out of the question. His powers hadn't returned yet, at least not to their full strength. He liked being alone, and depending upon the team for every single thing was beginning to grate on his nerves.

"Thor, I do not need that thing!" Thor rolled his eyes.

"Brother, you can hardly stand, let alone walk. This will help you move around on your own. Just think; you won't have to ask me or anyone else for help."

"I may be weak, but I'm not helpless! I refuse to allow you to coddle me along." Thor shook his head.

"Loki, I'm trying to help you not have to ask for help. Why won't you let me?"

"I suppose if you put it that way…Helping me to not need help." Thor grinned.

"It does sound a little ironic, doesn't it?" He asked. Loki couldn't help but agree.

"I'll try it out in a little while." Thor nodded.

"Very well. I'll be out in the living room. I promise not to bother you." Loki rolled his eyes.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, Thor."

Loki glared at the now empty doorway. What harm could it do to test it out? He stared at the chair for a moment, and gently eased himself into it. That small effort cost him dearly. After waiting a moment, he cautiously rolled it forward. It was a fairly smooth ride. He rolled into the living room, where he saw Thor waiting on the couch. He sighed.

"See, brother, is it so bad?" he asked. Loki shook his head.

"I suppose not. To whom do I owe my gratitude?" he queried. Thor shrugged.

"Uh, that would be me." Tony answered from behind the bar. Loki's eyes narrowed. How had he not noticed Tony standing there? He berated himself for letting his observational skills slip so much. "Don't worry, I won't hold it over your head."

"Thanks for that. So, whatever possessed you to give me a mode of transportation?" Tony shrugged.

"Dunno. Figured you might get bored. And Thor has told us what happens when you get bored." Loki nodded.

"I see. What exactly did he tell you?" Tony shook his head.

"Not telling. I'm gonna use it against you at an opportune, completely inappropriate time." Loki shrugged.

"That doesn't scare me. Only one time was actual boredom and I'm perfectly fine with that. The other was out of spite, one was a life or death situation, and the last one is nothing to joke about." Tony chuckled to himself.

"I think I can figure out which is which. Cutting some chick's hair was the spite, boredom was stealing the apples. But I can't figure out, for the life of me, which of the remaining categories the horse falls into." Loki crossed his arms over his chest.

"Life or death. It was either stop the builder from finishing the wall, or be executed in the worst imaginable way because I allowed that scum of a giant to win the bet. Sleipnir is the only good thing that came from that situation." Tony seemed to be taking this seriously.

"You actually have no problem with the fact that you have a horse as a son?" Tony asked incredulously. Loki shook his head.

"It's a little odd, I'll admit. Some might even call it sick, but I had no control over the situation. I love my son dearly. As it is, he's probably the most normal out of all my children." Tony still seemed freaked out by that one, but whatever.

"Does this subject disturb you?" Loki said, a hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Tony shook his head.

"No, no, no…"

"Admit it. You think it's disgusting. That's fine. But even if Sleipnir is just a horse, the life of my son was more important to me than my dignity." This last confession seemed to make Tony believe him. The billionaire couldn't speak for a couple seconds. The sentiment was sweet, albeit in a twisted kind of way. And he found that the more he thought about it, he was fine with that.

"If an eight-legged horse is normal…" he let the end of the sentence dangle. "What about your other children?" Loki sat back.

"My children by Angrboda? There are three. My son Fenrir is a wolf. Then there's Jormagundar, who's a serpent. Then there's my daughter Hela. She's…different. Half of her looks normal, and her other half is a skeleton."

"Let me guess, the skeleton half is from her mother." Tony said, half serious. Loki shook his head.

"No, actually, she gets that from me, I think. She's goddess of the dead and Queen of Helheim. We haven't exactly been on speaking terms lately. I believe it may have started when her mother died. Or when I convinced her to allow Balder back into the land of the living." He shrugged indifferently. Tony gave a low whistle.

"Okay. I promise not to joke about any of your escapades then."

"Thank you. And in return, I won't mention spring break 1987 in front of Pepper. That alone is worth all my hijinks combined and multiplied tenfold!" Tony blanched. Pepper knew almost everything about his party days, but that particular spring break was one thing he'd never told her about. He wanted to keep it that way.

"Wait, how did you…Oh. Demigod. I forgot. Sometimes you almost seem normal." Loki raised an eyebrow.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Good, 'cause that's how I meant it." He said, pouring another glass of scotch and handing it to the dark-haired man. Loki took it gratefully, clinking the edge of his glass against Tony's.

"Thank you." Loki said, the slightest glint appearing in his eyes. Tony suddenly noticed the color.

"Okay, completely different subject: Since when are your eyes green? Last time I was close enough to look, they were blue. Thor mentioned mind control, but I…" Loki nearly choked on his sip of scotch (which is a nasty thing to choke on.) Thor looked concerned. Loki managed to get himself under control.

"Can that wait for another time?" he asked weakly. He coughed one more time.

"Um…yeah, if you don't want to talk about it." Tony glanced over at Thor, wondering if he'd crossed the line. Thor shrugged. Loki smoothly downed the last of his drink and set the empty glass down on the mahogany counter.

"Thank you. I'm sorry, but I…" He drew in a shaky breath. "I need some rest." With that he wheeled himself back into his room and shut the door gently. Tony turned to Thor.

"I'm sorry." He said. Thor shook his head.

"It's not your fault. The incident with Forseti has made him worried about what will happen when Thanos finally does come for him." Tony nodded.

"Well, we'll just have to keep that from happening."


	18. Broken Pieces

**A/N: Sorry! I meant to post this last night, but the web page wouldn't load, and it was really frustrating. So, here it is! Thanks to everyone who's reviewed. Sorry if this one doesn't flow as well...and it's a bit short. Enjoy!**

Loki wheeled himself over to Tony.

"What is the top speed a wheelchair can reach?" Tony glanced up from the manual he was reading. Needless to say, his interest was piqued.

"Depends on how steep the hill is. You wanna find out?" Loki shook his head.

"No, not that…I didn't mean…" Tony laughed.

"I know, I know what you meant. Depends on how fast you can wheel it. How fast _can _you wheel it?" Loki smiled.

"How much coffee can I have?" Tony shook his head.

"No. No caffeine for you! You're already bad enough with whatever's in that wimpy tea you drink." Loki glanced around.

"I haven't done anything remotely mischievous in the past…" he counted on his fingers, "…three hours." Tony shook his head.

"Sorry, Loki. For the good of the inhabitants of Stark Tower, you will not be allowed to touch coffee, Red Bull, Monster, or any other energy drink." Loki crossed his arms.

"What if the coffee's decaf?" he asked. Tony rolled his eyes.

"Now you're just being childish." Loki grinned.

"That's what I do best." Tony leaned back. Loki seemed at ease, and now for the real question.

"So, why didn't you want to talk about your eye color the other night? And don't give me some lame excuse about needing to rest." Tony asked. Loki's eyes narrowed.

"You're treading thin ice, Stark."

"I don't care. All I'm asking is whether or not…"

"What? Whether or not I was in my right mind when I decided to attack Midgard?" Tony took a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, that's pretty much it." Loki took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

"If I just give you a simple answer, will you stop asking me about it? Because I don't want to talk about how I got to that point."

"Fair enough. So, were you?" Loki stared at him evenly.

"No, I was not exactly rational when I tried to take over the world. Who is? I was under a spell similar to what I used on Clint. Add to that my anger towards my brother, and I was what you'd call a time bomb." He glanced down at his hands. "Is that enough information for you?" Tony nodded.

"Yes. I'm sorry for what you had to go through. I really am."

"Save your sympathy for someone who deserves it more than I do." Tony watched, dumbstruck as a slight tinge of blue began crawling up Loki's arms and onto his neck. He didn't get a chance to get a better look, because the trickster was gone.

Despite the tightness in his chest, Loki wheeled himself to his room. Why did Tony have to be so curious about what he'd done? He didn't want them to know of his humiliation at the hands of Thanos and the Chitauri. The things he'd done to become their leader were something he wanted to forget. He passed Thor in the hall, not stopping to talk, or anything. Thor followed him at a distance, knowing that something was wrong. Loki cringed inwardly when he heard Thanos' voice echoing inside his skull. He wanted so badly to block it out, but it wouldn't go away.

_**"Come on, weakling! Prove that you can lead us." A brutal kick brought him to the ground.** _

He tried to pull himself out of the chair and onto his bed, but he couldn't do it.

_**"I expected more from the mighty Jotun race. Why ever did I think that you could take command of this army? You worthless piece of flesh… Can't even crawl…" The jeering of the Chitauri egged him on to at least try to get up. His hand slipped from the jagged rock, giving him a nasty gash across his palm. He gasped in pain as the blood poured over his wrist. Dark red, almost black. Not Aesir blood as he'd been tricked into believing. His was the blood of a monster.** _

Inwardly he cursed his weakened state. He felt so helpless

_**"I said, MOVE! Get up, swine, or I'll make you…" Thanos' lieutenant grabbed him by the hair, close to his scalp, and pulled him upright. Loki had no choice but to comply. The creature released him with a hiss. For a moment he wavered, but he stood. He shivered, not from cold, but the residual effects of the venom used in the tortures. _

_"Good boy." Thanos sneered. Loki ducked his head, not wanting them to see his tears.**_

He sat still for a moment, gathering himself for the effort to crawl onto his bed. He engaged the brake and took a deep breath. He reached for the headboard and pulled himself upright. For a couple seconds, he kept his footing, but then he collapsed. Apparently Thor had heard the whole thing, and he came in. Wordlessly, he helped his brother up and eased him onto the bed. Loki was too tired to care that he was being treated like a child again.

"Do you want me to talk to Stark?" Thor asked. His voice was surprisingly gentle as he pulled the blanket over his brother. Loki shrugged awkwardly.

"No. I told him what he wanted to know. He told me that I didn't need to say anything else." Thor paused. He knew why Tony was so curious.

"Loki, each of us, each of the Avengers, has something in their past that makes us what we are. Stark wanted to know what it was that makes you what you are. Bruce has his Hulk, Tony has his arc reactor, and Steve has that strength-serum in his veins. Clint and Natasha both have somewhat sordid pasts that they've cast aside, and I was banished." Loki nodded, taking it in.

"But you were brought back." Thor nodded.

"Exactly. Because I'd learned what I needed to in order to become something more. We're all broken, but together we make up something that's even better than we could hope to achieve alone." Loki seemed to understand this.

"The Aesir were wrong in naming me Silver Tongue." He said. He couldn't say more, otherwise he might break down completely, and that would be disastrous. The god of mischief wasn't supposed to openly emote. Thor nodded, knowing what his brother was thinking. He started towards the door.

"I'll be in the living room if you need me." He started to walk away. Loki sat up.

"Thor?" His brother turned around.

"Yes?" he asked, barely disguising the break in his voice.

"I'm sorry for everything." Thor knew this was a sacred moment.

"All is forgiven, brother. There's nothing left to apologize for." Loki smiled slightly, as if not sure he should believe it. The warmth in Thor's eyes told him that he'd better believe it, or he'd find a way to prove it. There was no need. Loki believed him.


	19. Blue

It was a beautiful summer day, and the sun was out. Loki was spending the day in his apartment, re-reading the Shakespeare books, this time trying reading them out loud. He found that speaking the words made it easier to remember them.

_"I know you all, and will awhile uphold_

_The unyoked humor of your idleness:_

_Yet herein will I imitate the sun,_

_Who doth permit the base contagious clouds _

_To smother up his beauty from the world,_

_That, when he please again to be himself,_

_Being wanted, he may be more wonder'd at,_

_By breaking through the foul and ugly mists _

_Of vapors that did seem to strangle him._

_If all the year were playing holidays,_

_To sport would be as tedious as to work;_

_But when they seldom come, they wish'd for come,_

_And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents. _

_So when this loose behavior I throw off_

_And pay the debt I never promised,_

_By how much better than my word I am,_

_By so much shall I falsify men's hopes;_

_And like bright metal on a sullen ground,_

_My reformation glittering o'er my fault,_

_Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes_

_Than that which hath no foil to set it off._

_I'll so offend, to make offence a skill;_

_Redeeming time when men think least I will."* _

He stared off into space. How he could possibly relate to this Prince Hal was beyond him, yet here it was. He was waiting for someone to see beyond the shadows cast by his past and present actions, and see the person beneath. _My reformation glittering o'er my fault…_ He snapped the book shut when he heard a knock on the door in his living room. He pulled himself out of his chair, walking a lot steadier now. He was surprised to see Tony standing in the middle of the room, jaw slack. Loki's eyes narrowed.

"What do you want, Stark?"

"Ummm…I forgot. I heard you reading, and, kinda got distracted." Loki held up the book and stared at the cover for a second.

"Yes, and?" he asked, his patience growing thin. Tony shook his head.

"You're really good. You ever considered an acting career?" Loki shook his head, thoroughly confused.

"No…What does that mean?" Tony shrugged.

"Never mind, not important. How are you with Hamlet's soliloquy?" Loki went through the memories, finding what he was looking for. He stood, feet firmly planted, chin level with the floor.

_"To be, or not to be: That is the question:_

_Whether 'tis nobler in mind to suffer_

_The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,_

_Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,_

_And by opposing, end them? To die: to sleep;_

_No more; and by a sleep to say we end_

_The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks_

_That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation_

_Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;_

_To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;_

_For in that sleep of death what dreams may come_

_When we have shuffled off this mortal coil_

_Must give us pause: there's the respect_

_That makes calamity of so long life…"** _

Loki paused, waiting for Tony's reaction.

"So? Your opinion?" he asked. Tony stroked his goatee thoughtfully.

"Very good. Does anyone else know that you do that?" Loki stared at the billionaire evenly.

"Thor does, but he doesn't understand it. I'd like to keep it that way." Tony laughed.

"Of course he doesn't understand it. He's…well, him." He said. Loki laughed.

"Precisely." He set the book down on the couch, and walked over to the kitchen/bar area. "Can I get you anything to drink?" he asked, a wry smile twisting his face. Tony chuckled lightly.

"No, not right now." Loki sensed Tony was about to ask another question that might put up more walls, and he took a deep breath. _Relax, he's not trying to alienate you. He's just curious. No harm meant. _

"What's bothering you now, Stark?" Loki asked, already certain of the answer.

"Why were you turning blue the other night?" Loki nodded, trying to think of a simple way to put it.

"My brother did tell you I'm adopted?" Tony tilted his head to one side, recalling.

"Yeah, he might've mentioned it."

"So, you automatically assumed that I was of the same race as he?" Tony sat back, at a loss.

"I never thought about it. So what exactly are you then?" Loki grinned and closed his eyes, allowing the blue to creep back into his skin. Once the transformation was complete he opened his eyes, revealing the scarlet irises. Tony was visibly shocked.

"I'm a frost giant, or a Jotun, as the Aesir call them. I was abandoned as a baby because I was supposedly too small to survive. Odin found me in a Jotun temple after a great battle, and gifted me with a portion of his magic to change my appearance into that of an Aesir child, and raised me as his own alongside Thor." Tony swallowed. He obviously had been expecting a lot more resistance.

"Is that why you went off the deep end in the first place?" he asked.

"Part of it. Is that enough information for you?" Tony nodded.

"I'm sorry for prying. I know it's a sensitive subject, but I like to get those sort of things out of the way right off the bat."

"Is this similar to what you do to Bruce, interrogate him about his other side?"

"I wouldn't call it interrogating…" Loki raised an eyebrow.

"Believe me. It's interrogating. But since you do it to your closest friends as well, I should be honored that you care enough to ask. Not many people would." Tony nodded.

"We all care, Loki. Just know that. Anytime you need anything, don't hesitate to ask one of us." Loki inclined his head.

"I will remember that."

**A/N: Let it be noted that I do not own Avengers, or the Shakespeare quotes I used. That should be obvious.**

***(King Henry IV, Act I, scene II, lines 219-241)**

****(Hamlet, Act III, Scene I, lines 56-69)**


	20. Old Acquaintances

**A/N: Hi! I'm still alive, I haven't dropped of the face of the planet. This story is now leaching into my other story 'Knowing Truth, Whispering Lies'. **

**To avoid further confusion let me just say this: KTWL is set during the end of this story. Hopefully it will tie the two together a little more. **

**WARNING: Contains spoilers for 'Knowing Truth, Whispering Lies'! Personally I don't care what order you read them in (if you get confused it's your own fault), but for those of you who do care, I thought I'd just put that out there.**

**Here goes nothing!**

"Why does Fury always have to call a meeting when I'm in the middle of something important?" Tony griped. Loki rolled his eyes.

"Get over it Stark. I'm sure that whatever reason Fury has is more important than installing a new speaker system in your helmet."

"That hurts, Blitzen. You've cut me deep." Loki shook his head.

"I'm all tears. Now let's get this over with and you can get back to whatever you were doing before." They filed into the meeting room where most of the other Avengers were gathered. Fury acknowledged their presence, and launched into his monologue.

"SHIELD has been searching for new members lately, and they've come across a young woman with some interesting abilities. She could be a valuable asset to the Avenger's Initiative."

"What's her name?" Tony asked.

"Anneliese Dunn. She's currently hospitalized. She was in some kind of accident, but a friend of mine who is a doctor at the hospital says that she'll survive. CAT scans indicated something different about her. If the scan was right, she could have telepathic and telekinetic abilities." Loki was intrigued.

"So what do you want us to do?" Bruce asked. Fury pulled up a picture of the woman on the large screen.

"I want two of you to go see how she's doing, maybe talk to her if she's awake." Loki stared at the picture for a moment. _No, it can't be…How did she end up here? Surely not banishment…_ He stood up.

"I'll go." he said, trying to keep his voice level. Fury seemed surprised by this.

"Are you sure? If she's heard of you, she might not welcome waking up to a former war criminal hovering over her.

"I'm certain. If I must, I can change my appearance, so she will not recognize me."

"Oookay. I'm going to send Clint with you." Loki glanced over at Clint, who looked a little concerned. "You got a problem with that, Barton?"

"No sir. I'll go."

"Good. You two go ahead. That's all I needed from you."

* * *

Loki watched the woman sleeping on the hospital bed, his breath catching in his chest. Before him lay Sigyn, whether or not anyone else knew it was inconsequential. Dark circles ringed her eyes, and her face lacked its rosy glow. Her once-filled out figure was reduced to skin stretched over a bony frame. Her nails were unkempt, and knuckles chapped and skinned. Bruises stood out on her collarbone and forearms. Her golden hair was matted beneath her head, and she didn't look like she would be awake any time soon. Clint took one glance at her and immediately walked away.

Loki, however sat down next to the bed. He glanced around the room, looking for any personal items that might tell him whether or not this was who he thought it was. Then he saw it. A simple band of gold, set with an emerald. The royal seal of the House of Odin engraved on the gem, inlaid with more gold…It was unmistakable. His own ring, which he had lost in Thanos' dungeons. Tears stung his eyes when he realized what atrocities she must have suffered at the Mad Titan's hands. Part of him wanted to know if Thor had heard of Sigyn's disappearance, but another part of him didn't want to know. Memories flooded back, some of them good, some of them bad, but all of them a beautiful reminder of what this woman meant to him.

"Sigyn, how could this have happened? What brought you here?" he whispered. He swallowed the sick feeling in the back of his throat. "I swear, I'll find whoever did this to you, and they will pay dearly…_" _ The woman didn't respond. He glanced up and saw a hairbrush sitting on the bedside table. Surely it wouldn't hurt to brush her hair? It looked so horrible in its present state…He picked up the brush and lifted her head gently from the pillow, freeing the golden tresses. Starting at the ends, he slowly worked his way up through the tangled locks. By the time he was finished, her hair was splayed out across the pillow, sun-colored silk on a linen cloud.

Loki smiled, and stood up. He leaned over and kissed the almost transparent skin on her forehead. Slowly, her body began to heal itself, the sharp angles of her face becoming full and healthy once more. The bruises on her arms and shoulders faded, and her hands became smooth again. Color returned to her face and she stirred in her sleep, but didn't wake. _"That's probably for the best."_ Loki thought to himself. He glanced over at the heart monitor. The heartbeats were stronger, and her breathing wasn't as shaky. She would recover. He lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed it.

"I will come back for you, Sigyn. I swear it." Gently, he set her hand across her chest, and he left.

* * *

Clint was waiting for him down in the parking lot.

"Are you okay, Loki?" Loki wordlessly sat himself down in the passenger seat and belted himself in. The archer sighed, and belted himself in as well, throwing the car into reverse, and drove away, towards StarkTower. "Seriously, Loki, what's going on?"

"Personal matters. Not of your concern." Clint pulled up to a stoplight, and turned to face the trickster.

"Really? You're going to pull that one on me? Hardly fair, considering you were inside my head, and know all my deepest secrets." Loki felt a hint of a smile at this childish attempt to get him to tell.

"Give up, Clint. Unless of course, you want me to mention a certain tight-rope walker to a certain Russian ex-patriot…" Clint's eyes narrowed.

"You wouldn't…"

"Don't tempt me. It's an entertaining thought. Oh, the light's green, by the way." Clint's eyes snapped back to the road.

"If you mention that to Nat, I will put an arrow through your skull. And see if you can catch it this time." The words were venomous, but held no conviction. Clint had been on fairly good terms with Loki lately.

"You don't really mean that, now do you?" Loki asked patronizingly. Clint glared at the windshield.

"Nah, not really. I suppose I'll figure it out as it happens."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Clint shot him a glance.

"Oh yes you do. Even a blind guy could see that you had a connection with that girl."

"I'm going to end this conversation right now. All will become clear eventually."

"If you say so." Loki nodded. He needed to have words with Thor when he got home.

* * *

**A/N: This leads directly into the prologue chapter of 'Knowing Truth, Whispering Lies' so, if you wanna check it out, go ahead. Thanks for reading.**


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